Systems and methods for activating transducers

ABSTRACT

Transducer-based systems and methods may be configured to display a graphical representation of a transducer-based device, the graphical representation including graphical elements corresponding to transducers of the transducer-based device, and also including between graphical elements respectively associated with a set of the transducers and respectively associated with a region of space between the transducers of the transducer-based device. Selection of graphical elements and/or between graphical elements can cause activation of the set of transducers associated with the selected elements. Transducer activation characteristics, such as initiation time, activation duration, activation sequence, and energy delivery characteristics, can vary based on numerous factors. Visual characteristics of graphical elements and between graphical elements can change based on an activation-status of the corresponding transducers. Activation requests for a set of transducers can be denied if it is determined that a transducer in the set of transducers is unacceptable for activation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional applicationSer. No. 15/964,951, filed Apr. 27, 2018, which is a continuation ofU.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 15/414,834 filed Jan. 25,2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,980,679, issued May 29, 2018, which is acontinuation of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 14/948,924,filed Nov. 23, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,572,509, issued Feb. 21, 2017,which is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No.14/546,683, filed Nov. 18, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,198,592, issuedDec. 1, 2015, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisionalapplication Ser. No. 13/792,781, filed Mar. 11, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No.9,017,320, issued Apr. 28, 2015, which claims priority benefit of eachof (a) U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/723,311, filed Nov. 6, 2012,(b) U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/670,881, filed Jul. 12, 2012,and (c) U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/649,734, filed May 21, 2012,the entire disclosure of each of the applications cited in the sentenceis hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Aspects of this disclosure generally are related to systems and methodsfor activating transducers, such systems and methods applicable to,among other things, medical systems.

BACKGROUND

Cardiac surgery was initially undertaken using highly invasive openprocedures. A sternotomy, which is a type of incision in the center ofthe chest that separates the sternum was typically employed to allowaccess to the heart. In the past several decades, more and more cardiacoperations are performed using intravascular or percutaneous techniques,where access to inner organs or other tissue is gained via a catheter.

Intravascular or percutaneous surgeries benefit patients by reducingsurgery risk, complications and recovery time. However, the use ofintravascular or percutaneous technologies also raises some particularchallenges. Medical devices used in intravascular or percutaneoussurgery need to be deployed via catheter systems which significantlyincrease the complexity of the device structure. As well, doctors do nothave direct visual contact with the medical devices once the devices arepositioned within the body.

One example of where intravascular or percutaneous medical techniqueshave been employed is in the treatment of a heart disorder called atrialfibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a disorder in which spuriouselectrical signals cause an irregular heartbeat. Atrial fibrillation hasbeen treated with open heart methods using a technique known as the“Cox-Maze procedure”. During this procedure, physicians create specificpatterns of lesions in the left or right atria to block various pathstaken by the spurious electrical signals. Such lesions were originallycreated using incisions, but are now typically created by ablating thetissue with various techniques including radio-frequency (RF) energy,microwave energy, laser energy and cryogenic techniques. The procedureis performed with a high success rate under the direct vision that isprovided in open procedures, but is relatively complex to performintravascularly or percutaneously because of the difficulty in creatingthe lesions in the correct locations. Various problems, potentiallyleading to severe adverse results, may occur if the lesions are placedincorrectly. It is particularly important to know the position of thevarious transducers which will be creating the lesions relative tocardiac features such as the pulmonary veins and mitral valve. Thecontinuity, transmurality and placement of the lesion patterns that areformed can impact the ability to block paths taken within the heart byspurious electrical signals. Other requirements for various ones of thetransducers to perform additional functions such as, but not limited to,mapping various anatomical features, mapping electrophysiologicalactivity, sensing tissue characteristics such as impedance andtemperature and tissue stimulation can also complicate the operation ofthe employed medical device.

In this regard, there is a need for intra-bodily-cavity transducer-baseddevices with improved performance and reduced complexity as compared toconventional devices.

SUMMARY

At least the above-discussed need is addressed and technical solutionsare achieved by various embodiments of the present invention. In someembodiments, device systems and methods executed by such systems exhibitenhanced capabilities for the activation of various transducers, whichmay be located within a bodily cavity, such as an intra-cardiac cavity.In some embodiments, the systems or a portion thereof may bepercutaneously or intravascularly delivered to position the varioustransducers within the bodily cavity. Various ones of the transducersmay be activated to distinguish tissue from blood and may be used todeliver positional information of the device relative to variousanatomical features in the bodily cavity, such as the pulmonary veinsand mitral valve in an atrium. Various ones of the transducers mayemploy characteristics such as blood flow detection, impedance changedetection or deflection force detection to discriminate between bloodand tissue. Various ones of the transducers may be used to treat tissuewithin a bodily cavity. Treatment may include tissue ablation by way ofnon-limiting example. Various ones of the transducers may be used tostimulate tissue within the bodily cavity. Stimulation can includepacing by way of non-limiting example. Other advantages will becomeapparent from the teaching herein to those of skill in the art.

In some embodiments, a transducer-activation system may be summarized asincluding a data processing device system, an input-output device systemcommunicatively connected to the data processing device system, and amemory device system communicatively connected to the data processingdevice system and storing a program executable by the data processingdevice system. The program may include reception instructions configuredto cause reception of a selection from the input-output device system ofat least some of a plurality of transducers of a transducer-baseddevice, the plurality of transducers arranged in a distribution, thedistribution positionable in a bodily cavity. The program may includegeneration instructions configured to, in response to receiving at leastpart of the selection, cause generation of a plurality of transducersets from the at least some of the plurality of transducers. Theplurality of transducer sets may include at least a first transducer setand one or more other transducer sets. The first transducer set mayinclude at least a first transducer of the at least some of theplurality of transducers and a second transducer of the at least some ofthe plurality of transducers. Each of the one or more other transducersets may include the first transducer, the second transducer, or boththe first transducer and the second transducer. The first transducer maybe included in the one or more other transducer sets. The secondtransducer may be included in the one or more other transducer sets.Each of at least one of the plurality of transducer sets may include adifferent transducer than each of at least one other set of theplurality of transducer sets. The program may further include activationinstructions configured to, in response to receiving at least part ofthe selection, cause activation of each respective transducer set of theplurality of transducer sets. The activation of each respectivetransducer set of the plurality of transducer sets may include theactivation of each respective transducer in the respective transducerset. The activation instructions may be configured to cause theactivation of each respective transducer in each respective transducerset of the plurality of transducer sets to begin at a different timethan the activation of each respective transducer in another respectivetransducer set of the plurality of transducer sets. The activationinstructions may be configured to cause a delay of the activation ofeach respective transducer in the first transducer set with respect to astart of the activation of each respective transducer in each of the oneor more other transducer sets.

In some embodiments, (a) the first transducer set may include adifferent transducer than each of at least one of the one or more othertransducer sets, or (b) at least one of the one or more other transducersets may include a different transducer than (i) the first transducerset or (ii) each of at least another of the one or more other transducersets.

In some embodiments, the activation instructions may be configured tocause at least a portion of the activation of each respective transducerin the first transducer set to occur concurrently with every othertransducer in the first transducer set. In some embodiments theactivation instructions may be configured to cause concurrent initiationof the activation of the transducers in the first transducer set. Insome embodiments, the activation instructions may be configured to causeat least a portion of the activation of each respective transducer in atleast a particular one of the plurality of transducer sets to occurconcurrently with the activation of every transducer in the firsttransducer set, the particular one of the plurality of transducer setsincluding two or more of the plurality of transducers. In someembodiments, the activation instructions may be configured to cause, fora particular one of the one or more other transducer sets, an initiationof the activation of each of at least two transducers in the particularone of the one or more other transducer sets to occur concurrently, theparticular one of the one or more other transducer sets including two ormore of the plurality of transducers.

In some embodiments, the activation instructions may be configured tocause, for a particular one of the one or more other transducer sets, aninitiation of the activation of at least one transducer in theparticular one of the one or more other transducer sets to occursequentially with an initiation of the activation of at least anothertransducer in the particular one of the one or more other transducersets, the particular one of the one or more other transducer setsincluding two or more of the plurality of transducers. In someembodiments, the one or more other transducer sets may include two ormore other transducer sets, and the activation instructions may beconfigured to cause, for a first particular one of the two or more othertransducer sets, an initiation of the activation of at least onetransducer in the first particular one of the two or more othertransducer sets to occur concurrently with an initiation of theactivation of at least one transducer in a second particular one of theone or more other transducer sets.

In some embodiments, the one or more other transducer sets may includetwo or more other transducer sets, and the activation instructions maybe configured to cause, for a first particular one of the two or moreother transducer sets, an initiation of the activation of at least onetransducer in the first particular one of the two or more othertransducer sets to occur at a different time with respect to aninitiation of the activation of at least one transducer in a secondparticular one of the two or more other transducer sets. The at leastone transducer in the first particular one of the two or more othertransducer sets may include a third transducer other than each of thefirst transducer and the second transducer, and the at least onetransducer in the second particular one of the two or more othertransducer sets may include the third transducer.

In some embodiments, the one or more other transducer sets may includetwo or more other transducer sets, and a particular one of the two ormore other transducers sets may include only a single transducer. Insome embodiments, each of at least one of the one or more othertransducer sets may include at least two transducers. In someembodiments, the selected at least some of the transducers in thedistribution may include some but not all of the transducers in thedistribution.

In some embodiments, the input-output device system may include theplurality of transducers. The distribution may be an arrayeddistribution including a plurality of intersecting rows and columns. Arespective group of the plurality of transducers may be arranged alongeach of the rows and a respective group of the plurality of transducersmay be arranged along each of the columns. The first transducer may belocated on a first particular one of the columns and the secondtransducer may be located on a second particular one of the columns. Atleast one other of the columns may be arranged between the firstparticular one of the columns and the second particular one of thecolumns. In some embodiments, the first transducer and the secondtransducer may be located on a same particular one of the rows. In someembodiments, the first transducer may be located on a first particularone of the rows and the second transducer may be located on a secondparticular one of the rows other than the first particular one of therows. In some embodiments, the one or more other transducer sets mayinclude at least one transducer other than the first transducer and thesecond transducer, the at least one transducer other than the firsttransducer and the second transducer located on one of the columns otherthan the first particular one of the columns and the second particularone of the columns. In some embodiments, the first transducer and thesecond transducer may be located on a same particular one of the rows,and the one or more other transducer sets may include at least onetransducer other than the first transducer and the second transducer,the at least one transducer other than the first transducer and thesecond transducer located on one of the rows other than the sameparticular one of the rows. In some embodiments, the first transducerand the second transducer may be located on a same particular one of therows, and the one or more other transducer sets may include at least onetransducer other than the first transducer, the at least one transducerother than the first transducer located on the first particular one ofthe columns, and the one or more other transducer sets may include atleast one transducer other than the first transducer and the secondtransducer, the at least one transducer other than the first transducerand the second transducer located on the same particular one of therows.

In some embodiments, the input-output device system may include atransducer-based system, which includes the plurality of transducers.The distribution may be an array-based distribution that includes aplurality of intersecting rows and columns. Adjacent ones of the rowsmay be separated from each other at least by a physical portion of thetransducer-based system, and adjacent ones of the columns may beseparated from each other at least by a non-physical portion of thetransducer-based system. The first transducer may be located on a firstparticular one of the columns, and the second transducer may be locatedon a second particular one of the columns. In some embodiments, at leastone of the columns, other than the first particular one of the columnsand the second particular one of the columns, may be arranged betweenthe first particular one of the columns and the second particular one ofthe columns. In some embodiments, the first transducer and the secondtransducer may be located on a same particular one of the rows. In someembodiments, the one or more other transducer sets may include at leastone transducer other than the first transducer and the secondtransducer, the at least one transducer other than the first transducerand the second transducer located on one of the columns other than thefirst particular one of the columns and the second particular one of thecolumns. In some embodiments, the first transducer and the secondtransducer may be located on a same particular one of the rows, and theone or more other transducer sets may include at least one transducerother than the first transducer and the second transducer, the at leastone transducer other than the first transducer and the second transducerlocated on one of the rows other than the same particular one of therows. In some embodiments, the first transducer and the secondtransducer may be located on a same particular one of the rows, and theone or more other transducer sets may include at least one transducerother than the first transducer, the at least one transducer other thanthe first transducer located on the first particular one of the columns.The one or more other transducer sets may further include at least onetransducer other than the first transducer and the second transducer,the at least one transducer other than the first transducer and thesecond transducer located on the same particular one of the rows.

In some embodiments, the program may further include displayinstructions configured to cause the input-output device system toconcurrently display at least a map depicting a surface of a tissue wallof the bodily cavity, the surface interrupted by one or more openings,and a plurality of transducer graphical elements, each of the transducergraphical elements corresponding to at least part of a respective one ofthe plurality of transducers, a first spatial arrangement between thedisplayed transducer graphical elements consistent with a second spatialrelationship between the transducers. The display instructions may beconfigured to display the respective transducer graphical elementscorresponding to the selected at least some of the transducers in thedistribution surrounding at least one of the one or more ports depictedin the map. The program may further include information receptioninstructions configured to cause reception via the input-output devicesystem of information from each of the plurality of transducers, and thedisplay instructions may be configured to display the map based at leaston the information received from the each of the plurality oftransducers.

In some embodiments, the program may further include displayinstructions configured to cause the input-output device system toconcurrently display a plurality of transducer graphical elements, eachof the transducer graphical elements corresponding to at least part of arespective one of the plurality of transducers, a first spatialarrangement between the displayed transducer graphical elementsconsistent with a second spatial relationship between the transducers,and a plurality of between graphical elements, each of the plurality ofbetween graphical elements associated with a region of space between thetransducers of a respective one of a plurality of groups of adjacentones of the transducers. Each region of space may not include anytransducer. The display instructions may be configured to display therespective transducer graphical elements corresponding to transducersactivated according to the activation instructions in a manner differentthan the display of others of the transducer graphical elements, therespective transducer graphical elements corresponding to thetransducers activated according to the activation instructions beingselected transducer graphical elements. The display instructions may beconfigured to display the respective between graphical elements betweenrespective groups of adjacent ones of the selected transducer graphicalelements in a manner different than the display of others of the betweengraphical elements. The input-output device system may include atransducer-based system, which includes the plurality of transducers,and at least one of the between graphical elements may be associatedwith a region of space that is not associated with any physical part ofthe transducer-based system. The region of space that is not associatedwith any physical part of the transducer-based system may be between thetransducers of a particular one of the plurality of groups of adjacentones of the transducers that includes the first transducer and thesecond transducer.

Reception, via the input-output device system, of the selected at leastsome of the transducers in the distribution may include reception of auser-based selection, via the input-output device system, of theselected at least some of the transducers in the distribution in someembodiments. The generation instructions configured to generate theplurality of transducer sets from the selected at least some of theplurality of transducers may include machine-based selections from theselected at least some of the plurality of transducers in someembodiments.

In some embodiments, the transducer-activation system may furtherinclude the transducer-based device. In some embodiments, the activationinstructions may be configured to cause concurrent monopolar activationof all of the transducers in the first transducer set. In someembodiments, the activation instructions may be configured to cause, foreach particular one of the plurality of transducer sets that includestwo or more of the plurality of transducers, concurrent monopolaractivation of all of the transducers in the particular one of theplurality of transducer sets that includes two or more of the pluralityof transducers.

Various systems may include combinations and subsets of all the systemssummarized above or otherwise described herein.

In some embodiments, a transducer-activation system may be summarized asincluding a data processing device system, an input-output device systemcommunicatively connected to the data processing device system, and amemory device system communicatively connected to the data processingdevice system and storing a program executable by the data processingdevice system. The data processing device system may be configured bythe program at least to receive a selection from the input-output devicesystem of at least some of a plurality of transducers of atransducer-based device, the plurality of transducers arranged in adistribution, the distribution positionable in a bodily cavity. The dataprocessing device system may be configured by the program to generate,in response to receiving at least part of the selection, a plurality oftransducer sets from the at least some of the plurality of transducers,the plurality of transducer sets including at least a first transducerset and one or more other transducer sets. The first transducer set mayinclude at least a first transducer of the at least some of theplurality of transducers and a second transducer of the at least some ofthe plurality of transducers. Each of the one or more other transducersets may include the first transducer, the second transducer, or boththe first transducer and the second transducer. The first transducer maybe included in the one or more other transducer sets. The secondtransducer may be included in the one or more other transducer sets.Each of at least one of the plurality of transducer sets may include adifferent transducer than each of at least one other set of theplurality of transducer sets. The data processing device system may beconfigured by the program to activate, in response to receiving at leastpart of the selection, each respective transducer set of the pluralityof transducer sets. The activation of each respective transducer set ofthe plurality of transducer sets may include the activation of eachrespective transducer in the respective transducer set. The activationof each respective transducer in each respective transducer set of theplurality of transducer sets may begin at a different time than theactivation of each respective transducer in another respectivetransducer set of the plurality of transducer sets, and the activationof each respective transducer in the first transducer set may be delayedwith respect to a start of the activation of each respective transducerin each of the one or more other transducer sets.

Various systems may include combinations and subsets of all the systemssummarized above or otherwise described herein.

In some embodiments, a computer-readable data storage medium system maybe summarized as including one or more computer-readable data storagemediums storing a program executable by one or more data processingdevices of a data processing device system communicatively connected toan input-output device system. The program may include receptioninstructions configured to cause reception of a selection from theinput-output device system of at least some of a plurality oftransducers of a transducer-based device, the plurality of transducersarranged in a distribution, the distribution positionable in a bodilycavity. The program may include generation instructions configured to,in response to receiving at least part of the selection, causegeneration of a plurality of transducer sets from the at least some ofthe plurality of transducers. The plurality of transducer sets mayinclude at least a first transducer set and one or more other transducersets. The first transducer set may include at least a first transducerof the at least some of the plurality of transducers and a secondtransducer of the at least some of the plurality of transducers. Each ofthe one or more other transducer sets may include the first transducer,the second transducer, or both the first transducer and the secondtransducer. The first transducer may be included in the one or moreother transducer sets. The second transducer may be included in the oneor more other transducer sets. Each of at least one of the plurality oftransducer sets may include a different transducer than each of at leastone other set of the plurality of transducer sets. The program mayinclude activation instructions configured to, in response to receivingat least part of the selection, cause activation of each respectivetransducer set of the plurality of transducer sets, the activation ofeach respective transducer set of the plurality of transducer setsincluding the activation of each respective transducer in the respectivetransducer set. The activation instructions may be configured to causethe activation of each respective transducer in each respectivetransducer set of the plurality of transducer sets to begin at adifferent time than the activation of each respective transducer inanother respective transducer set of the plurality of transducer sets.The activation instructions may be configured to cause a delay of theactivation of each respective transducer in the first transducer setwith respect to a start of the activation of each respective transducerin each of the one or more other transducer sets.

In some embodiments, a transducer-activation method may be summarized asincluding selecting, via an input-output device system communicativelyconnected to a data processing device system and a transducer-baseddevice, a plurality of transducer sets from at least some of a pluralityof transducers of the transducer-based device, the plurality oftransducers arranged in a distribution, the distribution positionable ina bodily cavity. The plurality of transducer sets may include at least afirst transducer set and one or more other transducer sets. The firsttransducer set may include at least a first transducer of the at leastsome of the plurality of transducers and a second transducer of the atleast some of the plurality of transducers. Each of the one or moreother transducer sets may include the first transducer, the secondtransducer, or both the first transducer and the second transducer. Thefirst transducer may be included in the one or more other transducersets. The second transducer may be included in the one or more othertransducer sets. Each of at least one of the plurality of transducersets may include a different transducer than each of at least one otherset of the plurality of transducer sets. The method may includeactivating, via the input-output device system, each respectivetransducer set of the plurality of transducer sets, the activating ofeach respective transducer set of the plurality of transducer setsincluding activating each respective transducer in the respectivetransducer set. The activating of each respective transducer in eachrespective transducer set of the plurality of transducer sets may beginat a different time than the activating of each respective transducer inanother respective transducer set of the plurality of transducer sets.The method may include delaying the activating of each respectivetransducer in the first transducer set with respect to a start of theactivating of each respective transducer in each of the one or moreother transducer sets.

In some embodiments, a transducer-activation method may be summarized asincluding selecting, via an input-output device system communicativelyconnected to a data processing device system and a transducer-baseddevice, at least some of a plurality of transducers of thetransducer-based device, the plurality of transducers arranged in adistribution, the distribution positionable in a bodily cavity. The atleast some of the plurality of transducers may define a plurality oftransducer sets including at least a first transducer set, a secondtransducer set, and a third transducer set. The method may includeactivating, via the input-output device system, the plurality oftransducer sets according to a sequence, at least a portion of theactivating according to the sequence including an initiation of anactivation of each transducer in the first transducer set after eachtransducer in at least the second transducer set and the thirdtransducer set has been activated. Each of at least one of the firsttransducer set, the second transducer set, and the third transducer setmay include at least one transducer of the at least some of theplurality of transducers different than each respective transducerincluded in each of at least one other of the first, the second, and thethird transducer sets. The first transducer set may include at least afirst transducer of the at least some of the plurality of transducersand a second transducer of the at least some of the plurality oftransducers. The second transducer set may include at least the firsttransducer, and the third transducer set may include at least the secondtransducer.

Any of the features of any of the methods discussed herein may becombined with any of the other features of any of the methods discussedherein. In addition, a computer program product may be provided thatcomprises program code portions for performing some or all of any of themethods and associated features thereof described herein, when thecomputer program product is executed by a computer or other computingdevice or device system. Such a computer program product may be storedon one or more computer-readable storage mediums.

In some embodiments, each of any or all of the computer-readable storagemediums or medium systems described herein is a non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium or medium system including one or morenon-transitory computer-readable storage mediums storing the respectiveprogram(s).

Further, any or all of the methods and associated features thereofdiscussed herein may be implemented by all or part of a device system orapparatus, such as any of those described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

It is to be understood that the attached drawings are for purposes ofillustrating aspects of various embodiments and may include elementsthat are not to scale.

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of a transducer-activationsystem according to various example embodiments, thetransducer-activation system including a data processing device system,an input-output device system, and a memory device system.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cutaway diagram of a heart showing atransducer-based device percutaneously placed in a left atrium of theheart according to various example embodiments.

FIG. 3A illustrates a partially schematic representation of a medicalsystem according to various example embodiments, the medical systemincluding a data processing device system, an input-output devicesystem, a memory device system, and a transducer-based device having aplurality of transducers and an expandable structure shown in a deliveryor unexpanded configuration.

FIG. 3B illustrates the representation of the medical system of FIG. 3Awith the expandable structure shown in a deployed or expandedconfiguration.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic representation of a transducer-baseddevice that includes a flexible circuit structure according to variousexample embodiments.

FIG. 5A illustrates a graphical interface providing a graphicalrepresentation of at least a portion of a transducer-based deviceaccording to various example embodiments, the graphical representationincluding a plurality of graphical elements including a plurality oftransducer graphical elements and a plurality of between graphicalelements.

FIG. 5B illustrates the graphical representation provided by thegraphical interface of FIG. 5A with at least some of the transducergraphical elements identified by identification labels.

FIG. 5C illustrates the graphical representation provided by thegraphical interface of FIG. 5A with the addition of various regionsdetermined based at least on an analysis of transducer data.

FIG. 5D illustrates the graphical representation of FIG. 5C depictedtwo-dimensionally.

FIG. 5E illustrates the graphical representation of FIG. 5C with agraphical element selected in accordance with various exampleembodiments.

FIG. 5F illustrates the graphical representation of FIG. 5C with anaddition of a depicted path.

FIGS. 5G and 5H illustrate the graphical representation of FIG. 5Fassociated with two successive activations of various transducer setsselected according to a first sequence but activated according to asecond sequence different from the first sequence.

FIG. 5I illustrates the graphical representation of FIG. 5F after thecompletion of the activation of all the various transducer setsaccording to the second sequence.

FIG. 5J illustrates a symbolic representation of some transducergraphical elements and between graphical elements which may be displayedaccording to any of the graphical representations of FIGS. 5A-5I, 5K,and 6, according to various example embodiments.

FIG. 5K illustrates a graphical interface providing a graphicalrepresentation of at least a portion of a transducer-based deviceaccording to various example embodiments.

FIG. 6 illustrates a graphical interface providing a graphicalrepresentation of at least a portion of a transducer-based deviceaccording to various example embodiments.

FIG. 7A illustrates a block diagram of a method for activatingtransducers of a transducer-based device according to some exampleembodiments.

FIG. 7B illustrates an exploded view of some of the blocks of the blockdiagram of FIG. 7A according to some example embodiments.

FIG. 8 illustrates a block diagram of a method for activatingtransducers of a transducer-based device according to various exampleembodiments.

FIG. 9 illustrates a block diagram of a method for displaying a visualrepresentation of an ablation path according to various exampleembodiments.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exploded view of some of the blocks of the blockdiagram of FIG. 8, according to some example embodiments.

FIG. 11 illustrates a graph that compares (a) a temperature profileassociated with concurrent activation of five transducers, (b) atemperature profile associated with concurrent activation of two pairsof adjacent transducers, the two pairs of adjacent transducers separatedby a non-activated transducer, and (c) activation of a single pair oftransducers.

FIG. 12 illustrates a block diagram of a method for activatingtransducers of a transducer-based device according to various exampleembodiments.

FIG. 13 illustrates a block diagram of a method for activatingtransducers of a transducer-based device according to various exampleembodiments.

FIG. 14 illustrates a block diagram of a method for activatingtransducers of a transducer-based device according to various exampleembodiments.

FIG. 15A illustrates a block diagram of a method for activatingtransducers of a transducer-based device according to various exampleembodiments.

FIG. 15B illustrates a block diagram of a method for activatingtransducers of a transducer-based device according to various exampleembodiments.

FIG. 16 illustrates a block diagram of a method for activatingtransducers of a transducer-based device according to various exampleembodiments.

FIG. 17 provides measured data points for ablation depth (i.e.,indicated as burn depth) versus RF power that may be expected accordingto various non-limiting examples.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, certain specific details are set forth inorder to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of theinvention. However, one skilled in the art will understand that theinvention may be practiced without these details. In other instances,well-known structures (e.g., structures associated with radio-frequency(RF) ablation and electronic controls such as multiplexers) have notbeen shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuringdescriptions of various embodiments of the invention.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” or “an example embodiment” or “an illustrated embodiment” or“a particular embodiment” and the like means that a particular feature,structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodimentis included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of thephrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” or “in an exampleembodiment” or “in this illustrated embodiment” or “in this particularembodiment” and the like in various places throughout this specificationare not necessarily all referring to one embodiment or a sameembodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures orcharacteristics of different embodiments may be combined in any suitablemanner to form one or more other embodiments.

It is noted that, unless otherwise explicitly noted or required bycontext, the word “or” is used in this disclosure in a non-exclusivesense. In addition, unless otherwise explicitly noted or required bycontext, the word “set” is intended to mean one or more.

Further, the phrase “at least” is used herein at times to emphasize thepossibility that other elements can exist besides those explicitlylisted. However, unless otherwise explicitly noted (such as by the useof the term “only”) or required by context, non-usage herein of thephrase “at least” does not exclude the possibility that other elementscan exist besides those explicitly listed. For example, the phrase,“activation of at least transducer A” includes activation of transducerA by itself, as well as activation of transducer A and activation of oneor more other additional elements besides transducer A. In the samemanner, the phrase, “activation of transducer A” includes activation oftransducer A by itself, as well as activation of transducer A andactivation of one or more other additional elements besides transducerA. However, the phrase, “activation of only transducer A” includes onlyactivation of transducer A, and excludes activation of any othertransducers besides transducer A.

The word “ablation” as used in this disclosure should be understood toinclude any disruption to certain properties of tissue. Most commonly,the disruption is to the electrical conductivity and is achieved byheating, which can be generated with resistive or radio-frequency (RF)techniques for example. Other properties, such as mechanical orchemical, and other means of disruption, such as optical, are includedwhen the term “ablation” is used.

The word “fluid” as used in this disclosure should be understood toinclude any fluid that can be contained within a bodily cavity or canflow into or out of, or both into and out of a bodily cavity via one ormore bodily openings positioned in fluid communication with the bodilycavity. In the case of cardiac applications, fluid such as blood willflow into and out of various intra-cardiac cavities (e.g., a left atriumor right atrium).

The words “bodily opening” as used in this disclosure should beunderstood to include a naturally occurring bodily opening or channel orlumen; a bodily opening or channel or lumen formed by an instrument ortool using techniques that can include, but are not limited to,mechanical, thermal, electrical, chemical, and exposure or illuminationtechniques; a bodily opening or channel or lumen formed by trauma to abody; or various combinations of one or more of the above. Variouselements having respective openings, lumens or channels and positionedwithin the bodily opening (e.g., a catheter sheath) may be present invarious embodiments. These elements may provide a passageway through abodily opening for various devices employed in various embodiments.

The words “bodily cavity” as used in this disclosure should beunderstood to mean a cavity in a body. The bodily cavity may be a cavityprovided in a bodily organ (e.g., an intra-cardiac cavity of a heart).

The word “tissue” as used in some embodiments in this disclosure shouldbe understood to include any surface-forming tissue that is used to forma surface of a body or a surface within a bodily cavity, a surface of ananatomical feature or a surface of a feature associated with a bodilyopening positioned in fluid communication with the bodily cavity. Thetissue can include part or all of a tissue wall or membrane that definesa surface of the bodily cavity. In this regard, the tissue can form aninterior surface of the cavity that surrounds a fluid within the cavity.In the case of cardiac applications, tissue can include tissue used toform an interior surface of an intra-cardiac cavity such as a leftatrium or right atrium. In some embodiments, the word tissue can referto a tissue having fluidic properties (e.g., blood).

The term “transducer” as used in this disclosure should be interpretedbroadly as any device capable of distinguishing between fluid andtissue, sensing temperature, creating heat, ablating tissue, measuringelectrical activity of a tissue surface, stimulating tissue, or anycombination thereof. A transducer can convert input energy of one forminto output energy of another form. Without limitation, a transducer caninclude an electrode that functions as, or as part of, a sensing deviceincluded in the transducer, an energy delivery device included in thetransducer, or both a sensing device and an energy delivery deviceincluded in the transducer. A transducer may be constructed from severalparts, which may be discrete components or may be integrally formed. Inthis regard, although transducers, electrodes, or both transducers andelectrodes are referenced with respect to various embodiments, it isunderstood that other transducers or transducer elements may be employedin other embodiments. It is understood that a reference to a particulartransducer in various embodiments may also imply a reference to anelectrode, as an electrode may be part of the transducer as shown, e.g.,with FIG. 4 discussed below.

The term “activation” as used in this disclosure should be interpretedbroadly as making active a particular function as related to varioustransducers disclosed in this disclosure. Particular functions caninclude, but are not limited to, tissue ablation, sensingelectrophysiological activity, sensing temperature and sensingelectrical characteristics (e.g., tissue impedance). For example, insome embodiments, activation of a tissue ablation function of aparticular transducer is initiated by causing energy sufficient fortissue ablation from an energy source device system to be delivered tothe particular transducer. Alternatively, in this example, theactivation can be deemed to be initiated when the particular transducercauses a temperature sufficient for the tissue ablation due to theenergy provided by the energy source device system. Also in thisexample, the activation can last for a duration of time concluding whenthe ablation function is no longer active, such as when energysufficient for the tissue ablation is no longer provided to theparticular transducer. Alternatively, in this example, the activationperiod can be deemed to be concluded when the temperature caused by theparticular transducer is below the temperature sufficient for the tissueablation. In some contexts, however, the word “activation” can merelyrefer to the initiation of the activating of a particular function, asopposed to referring to both the initiation of the activating of theparticular function and the subsequent duration in which the particularfunction is active. In these contexts, the phrase or a phrase similar to“activation initiation” may be used.

The term “program” in this disclosure should be interpreted as a set ofinstructions or modules that can be executed by one or more componentsin a system, such a controller system or data processing device system,in order to cause the system to perform one or more operations. The setof instructions or modules can be stored by any kind of memory device,such as those described subsequently with respect to the memory devicesystem 130 shown in FIG. 1. In addition, this disclosure sometimesdescribes that the instructions or modules of a program are configuredto cause the performance of a function. The phrase “configured to” inthis context is intended to include at least (a) instructions or modulesthat are presently in a form executable by one or more data processingdevices to cause performance of the function (e.g., in the case wherethe instructions or modules are in a compiled and unencrypted form readyfor execution), and (b) instructions or modules that are presently in aform not executable by the one or more data processing devices, butcould be translated into the form executable by the one or more dataprocessing devices to cause performance of the function (e.g., in thecase where the instructions or modules are encrypted in a non-executablemanner, but through performance of a decryption process, would betranslated into a form ready for execution). The word “module” can bedefined as a set of instructions.

The word “device” and the phrase “device system” both are intended toinclude one or more physical devices or sub-devices (e.g., pieces ofequipment) that interact to perform one or more functions, regardless ofwhether such devices or sub-devices are located within a same housing ordifferent housings. In this regard, for example, this disclosuresometimes refers to a “catheter device”, but such catheter device couldequivalently be referred to as a “catheter device system”.

In some contexts, the term “adjacent” is used in this disclosure torefer to objects that do not have another substantially similar objectbetween them. For example, object A and object B could be consideredadjacent if they contact each other (and, thus, it could be consideredthat no other object is between them), or if they do not contact eachother, but no other object that is substantially similar to object A,object B, or both objects A and B, depending on context, is betweenthem.

Further, the phrase “in response to” commonly is used in thisdisclosure. For example, this phrase might be used in the followingcontext, where an event A occurs in response to the occurrence of anevent B. In this regard, such phrase can include, for example, that atleast the occurrence of the event B causes or triggers the event A.

Further still, example methods are described herein with respect toFIGS. 7A, 7B, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15A, 15B and 16. Such figures aredescribed to include blocks associated with instructions. It should benoted that the respective instructions associated, e.g., with each ofblocks 1206A and 1206B, or any other method blocks herein, need not beseparate instructions and may be combined with other instructions toform a combined instruction set. In this regard, the blocks shown ineach of the method figures herein are not intended to illustrate anactual structure of any program or set of instructions, and such methodfigures, according to some embodiments, merely illustrate the tasks thatinstructions are configured to perform upon execution by a dataprocessing device system in conjunction with interactions with one ormore other devices or device systems.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a system 100 for activatingtransducers, according to some embodiments. The system 100 includes adata processing device system 110, an input-output device system 120,and a processor-accessible memory device system 130. Theprocessor-accessible memory device system 130 and the input-outputdevice system 120 are communicatively connected to the data processingdevice system 110.

The data processing device system 110 includes one or more dataprocessing devices that implement or execute, in conjunction with otherdevices, such as those in the system 100, the methods of variousembodiments, including the example methods of FIGS. 7A, 7B, 8, 9, 10,12, 13, 14, 15A, 15B and 16 described herein. Each of the phrases “dataprocessing device”, “data processor”, “processor”, and “computer” isintended to include any data processing device, such as a centralprocessing unit (“CPU”), a desktop computer, a laptop computer, amainframe computer, tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, acellular phone, and any other device for processing data, managing data,or handling data, whether implemented with electrical, magnetic,optical, biological components, or otherwise.

The memory device system 130 includes one or more processor-accessiblememory devices configured to store information, including theinformation needed to execute the methods of various embodiments,including the example methods of FIGS. 7A, 7B, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14,15A, 15B and 16 described herein. The memory device system 130 may be adistributed processor-accessible memory device system including multipleprocessor-accessible memory devices communicatively connected to thedata processing device system 110 via a plurality of computers and/ordevices. On the other hand, the memory device system 130 need not be adistributed processor-accessible memory system and, consequently, mayinclude one or more processor-accessible memory devices located within asingle data processing device.

Each of the phrases “processor-accessible memory” and“processor-accessible memory device” is intended to include anyprocessor-accessible data storage device, whether volatile ornonvolatile, electronic, magnetic, optical, or otherwise, including butnot limited to, registers, floppy disks, hard disks, Compact Discs,DVDs, flash memories, ROMs, and RAMs. In some embodiments, each of thephrases “processor-accessible memory” and “processor-accessible memorydevice” is intended to include a non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium. And in some embodiments, the memory device system 130can be considered a non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumsystem.

The phrase “communicatively connected” is intended to include any typeof connection, whether wired or wireless, between devices, dataprocessors, or programs in which data may be communicated. Further, thephrase “communicatively connected” is intended to include a connectionbetween devices or programs within a single data processor, a connectionbetween devices or programs located in different data processors, and aconnection between devices not located in data processors at all. Inthis regard, although the memory device system 130 is shown separatelyfrom the data processing device system 110 and the input-output devicesystem 120, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the memorydevice system 130 may be located completely or partially within the dataprocessing device system 110 or the input-output device system 120.Further in this regard, although the input-output device system 120 isshown separately from the data processing device system 110 and thememory device system 130, one skilled in the art will appreciate thatsuch system may be located completely or partially within the dataprocessing system 110 or the memory device system 130, depending uponthe contents of the input-output device system 120. Further still, thedata processing device system 110, the input-output device system 120,and the memory device system 130 may be located entirely within the samedevice or housing or may be separately located, but communicativelyconnected, among different devices or housings. In the case where thedata processing device system 110, the input-output device system 120,and the memory device system 130 are located within the same device, thesystem 100 of FIG. 1 can be implemented by a single application-specificintegrated circuit (ASIC) in some embodiments.

The input-output device system 120 may include a mouse, a keyboard, atouch screen, another computer, or any device or combination of devicesfrom which a desired selection, desired information, instructions, orany other data is input to the data processing device system 110. Theinput-output device system may include a user-activatable control systemthat is responsive to a user action. The input-output device system 120may include any suitable interface for receiving information,instructions or any data from other devices and systems described invarious ones of the embodiments. In this regard, the input-output devicesystem 120 may include various ones of other systems described invarious embodiments. For example, the input-output device system 120 mayinclude at least a portion a transducer-based device system. The phrase“transducer-based device system” is intended to include one or morephysical systems that include various transducers. The phrase“transducer-based device” is intended to include one or more physicaldevices that include various transducers.

The input-output device system 120 also may include an image generatingdevice system, a display device system, a processor-accessible memorydevice, or any device or combination of devices to which information,instructions, or any other data is output by the data processing devicesystem 110. In this regard, if the input-output device system 120includes a processor-accessible memory device, such memory device may ormay not form part or all of the memory device system 130. Theinput-output device system 120 may include any suitable interface foroutputting information, instructions or data to other devices andsystems described in various ones of the embodiments. In this regard,the input-output device system may include various other devices orsystems described in various embodiments.

Various embodiments of transducer-based devices are described herein.Some of the described devices are medical devices that arepercutaneously or intravascularly deployed. Some of the describeddevices are moveable between a delivery or unexpanded configuration(e.g., FIG. 3A, discussed below) in which a portion of the device issized for passage through a bodily opening leading to a bodily cavity,and an expanded or deployed configuration (e.g., FIG. 3B, discussedbelow) in which the portion of the device has a size too large forpassage through the bodily opening leading to the bodily cavity. Anexample of an expanded or deployed configuration is when the portion ofthe transducer-based device is in its intended-deployed-operationalstate inside the bodily cavity. Another example of the expanded ordeployed configuration is when the portion of the transducer-baseddevice is being changed from the delivery configuration to theintended-deployed-operational state to a point where the portion of thedevice now has a size too large for passage through the bodily openingleading to the bodily cavity.

In some example embodiments, the device includes transducers that sensecharacteristics (e.g., convective cooling, permittivity, force) thatdistinguish between fluid, such as a fluidic tissue (e.g., blood), andtissue forming an interior surface of the bodily cavity. Such sensedcharacteristics can allow a medical system to map the cavity, forexample using positions of openings or ports into and out of the cavityto determine a position or orientation (e.g., pose), or both of theportion of the device in the bodily cavity. In some example embodiments,the described devices are capable of ablating tissue in a desiredpattern within the bodily cavity. In some example embodiments, thedevices are capable of sensing characteristics (e.g.,electrophysiological activity) indicative of whether an ablation hasbeen successful. In some example embodiments, the devices are capable ofproviding stimulation (e.g., electrical stimulation) to tissue withinthe bodily cavity. Electrical stimulation may include pacing.

FIG. 2 is a representation of a transducer-based device 200 useful ininvestigating or treating a bodily organ, for example a heart 202,according to one example embodiment.

Transducer-based device 200 can be percutaneously or intravascularlyinserted into a portion of the heart 202, such as an intra-cardiaccavity like left atrium 204. In this example, the transducer-baseddevice 200 is part of a catheter 206 inserted via the inferior vena cava208 and penetrating through a bodily opening in transatrial septum 210from right atrium 212. In other embodiments, other paths may be taken.

Catheter 206 includes an elongated flexible rod or shaft memberappropriately sized to be delivered percutaneously or intravascularly.Various portions of catheter 206 may be steerable. Catheter 206 mayinclude one or more lumens (not shown). The lumen(s) may carry one ormore communications or power paths, or both. For example, the lumens(s)may carry one or more electrical conductors 216 (two shown in thisembodiment). Electrical conductors 216 provide electrical connections todevice 200 that are accessible externally from a patient in which thetransducer-based device 200 is inserted.

Transducer-based device 200 includes a frame or structure 218 whichassumes an unexpanded configuration for delivery to left atrium 204.Structure 218 is expanded (e.g., shown in a deployed or expandedconfiguration in FIG. 2) upon delivery to left atrium 204 to position aplurality of transducers 220 (three called out in FIG. 2) proximate theinterior surface formed by tissue 222 of left atrium 204. In thisexample embodiment, at least some of the transducers 220 are used tosense a physical characteristic of a fluid (e.g., blood) or tissue 222,or both, that may be used to determine a position or orientation (e.g.,pose), or both, of a portion of a device 200 within, or with respect toleft atrium 204. For example, transducers 220 may be used to determine alocation of pulmonary vein ostia (not shown) or a mitral valve 226, orboth. In this example embodiment, at least some of the transducers 220may be used to selectively ablate portions of the tissue 222. Forexample, some of the transducers 220 may be used to ablate a patternaround the bodily openings, ports or pulmonary vein ostia, for instanceto reduce or eliminate the occurrence of atrial fibrillation.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a transducer-based device system (e.g., a portionthereof shown schematically) that includes a transducer-based device 300according to one illustrated embodiment. Transducer-based device 300includes a plurality of elongate members 304 (three called out in eachof FIGS. 3A and 3B) and a plurality of transducers 306 (three called outin FIG. 3A and three called out in FIG. 3B as 306 a, 306 b and 306 c).As will become apparent, the plurality of transducers 306 arepositionable within a bodily cavity. For example, in some embodiments,the transducers 306 are able to be positioned in a bodily cavity bymovement into, within, or into and within the bodily cavity, with orwithout a change in a configuration of the plurality of transducers 306.In some embodiments, the plurality of transducers 306 are arranged toform a two- or three-dimensional distribution, grid or array of thetransducers capable of mapping, ablating or stimulating an insidesurface of a bodily cavity or lumen without requiring mechanicalscanning. As shown, for example, in FIG. 3A, the plurality oftransducers 306 are arranged in a distribution receivable in a bodilycavity (not shown).

The elongate members 304 are arranged in a frame or structure 308 thatis selectively movable between an unexpanded or delivery configuration(e.g., as shown in FIG. 3A) and an expanded or deployed configuration(i.e., as shown in FIG. 3B) that may be used to position elongatemembers 304 against a tissue surface within the bodily cavity orposition the elongate members 304 in the vicinity of the tissue surface.In this embodiment, structure 308 has a size in the unexpanded ordelivery configuration suitable for delivery through a bodily opening(e.g., via catheter sheath 312) to the bodily cavity. In thisembodiment, structure 308 has a size in the expanded or deployedconfiguration too large for delivery through a bodily opening (e.g., viacatheter sheath 312) to the bodily cavity. The elongate members 304 mayform part of a flexible circuit structure (e.g., also known as aflexible printed circuit board (PCB) circuit). The elongate members 304can include a plurality of different material layers. Each of theelongate members 304 can include a plurality of different materiallayers. The structure 308 can include a shape memory material, forinstance Nitinol. The structure 308 can include a metallic material, forinstance stainless steel, or non-metallic material, for instancepolyimide, or both a metallic and non-metallic material by way ofnon-limiting example. The incorporation of a specific material intostructure 308 may be motivated by various factors including the specificrequirements of each of the unexpanded or delivery configuration andexpanded or deployed configuration, the required position or orientation(e.g., pose), or both of structure 308 in the bodily cavity or therequirements for successful ablation of a desired pattern.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevation view of at least a portion of atransducer-based device 400 that includes a flexible circuit structure401 that is employed to provide a plurality of transducers 406 (twocalled out) according to an example embodiment. In some embodiments, theflexible circuit structure 401 may form part of a structure (e.g.,structure 308) that is selectively movable between a deliveryconfiguration sized for percutaneous delivery and expanded or deployedconfigurations sized too large for percutaneous delivery. In someembodiments, the flexible circuit structure 401 may be located on, orform at least part of, a structural component (e.g., elongate member304) of a transducer-based device system.

The flexible circuit structure 401 can be formed by various techniquesincluding flexible printed circuit techniques. In some embodiments, theflexible circuit structure 401 includes various layers includingflexible layers 403 a, 403 b and 403 c (i.e., collectively flexiblelayers 403). In some embodiments, each of flexible layers 403 includesan electrical insulator material (e.g., polyimide). One or more of theflexible layers 403 can include a different material than another of theflexible layers 403. In some embodiments, the flexible circuit structure401 includes various electrically conductive layers 404 a, 404 b and 404c (collectively electrically conductive layers 404) that are interleavedwith the flexible layers 403. In some embodiments, each of theelectrically conductive layers 404 is patterned to form variouselectrically conductive elements. For example, electrically conductivelayer 404 a is patterned to form a respective electrode 415 of each ofthe transducers 406. Electrodes 415 have respective electrode edges415-1 that form a periphery of an electrically conductive surfaceassociated with the respective electrode 415.

Electrically conductive layer 404 b is patterned, in some embodiments,to form respective temperature sensors 408 for each of the transducers406 as well as various leads 410 a arranged to provide electrical energyto the temperature sensors 408. In some embodiments, each temperaturesensor 408 includes a patterned resistive member 409 (two called out)having a predetermined electrical resistance. In some embodiments, eachresistive member 409 includes a metal having relatively high electricalconductivity characteristics (e.g., copper). In some embodiments,electrically conductive layer 404 c is patterned to provide portions ofvarious leads 410 b arranged to provide an electrical communication pathto electrodes 415. In some embodiments, leads 410 b are arranged to passthough vias (not shown) in flexible layers 403 a and 403 b to connectwith electrodes 415. Although FIG. 4 shows flexible layer 403 c as beinga bottom-most layer, some embodiments may include one or more additionallayers underneath flexible layer 403 c, such as one or more structurallayers, such as a steel or composite layer. These one or more structurallayers, in some embodiments, are part of the flexible circuit structure401 and can be part of, e.g., elongate member 304. In addition, althoughFIG. 4 shows only three flexible layers 403 a-403 c and only threeelectrically conductive layers 404 a-404 c, it should be noted thatother numbers of flexible layers, other numbers of electricallyconductive layers, or both, can be included.

In some embodiments, electrodes 415 are employed to selectively deliverRF energy to various tissue structures within a bodily cavity (notshown) (e.g., an intra-cardiac cavity). The energy delivered to thetissue structures may be sufficient for ablating portions of the tissuestructures. The energy delivered to the tissue may be delivered to causemonopolar tissue ablation, bipolar tissue ablation or blendedmonopolar-bipolar tissue ablation by way of non-limiting example. Insome embodiments, each electrode 415 is employed to sense an electricalpotential in the tissue proximate the electrode 415. In someembodiments, each electrode 415 is employed in the generation of anintra-cardiac electrogram. In some embodiments, each resistive member409 is positioned adjacent a respective one of the electrodes 415. Insome embodiments, each of the resistive members 409 is positioned in astacked or layered array with a respective one of the electrodes 415 toform a respective one of the transducers 406. In some embodiments, theresistive members 409 are connected in series to allow electricalcurrent to pass through all of the resistive members 409. In someembodiments, leads 410 a are arranged to allow for a sampling ofelectrical voltage in between each resistive members 409. Thisarrangement allows for the electrical resistance of each resistivemember 409 to be accurately measured. The ability to accurately measurethe electrical resistance of each resistive member 409 may be motivatedby various reasons including determining temperature values at locationsat least proximate the resistive member 409 based at least on changes inthe resistance caused by convective cooling effects (e.g., as providedby blood flow).

Referring to FIGS. 3A, 3B, transducer-based device 300 can communicatewith, receive power from or be controlled by a transducer-activationsystem 322. In some embodiments, elongate members 304 can form a portionof an elongated cable 316 of control leads 317, for example by stackingmultiple layers, and terminating at a connector 321 or other interfacewith transducer-activation system 322. The control leads 317 maycorrespond to the electrical connectors 216 in FIG. 2 in someembodiments. The transducer-activation device system 322 may include acontroller 324 that includes a data processing device system 310 (e.g.,from FIG. 1) and a memory device system 330 (e.g., from FIG. 1) thatstores data and instructions that are executable by the data processingdevice system 310 to process information received from transducer-baseddevice 300 or to control operation of transducer-based device 300, forexample activating various selected transducers 306 to ablate tissue.Controller 324 may include one or more controllers.

Transducer-activation device system 322 includes an input-output devicesystem 320 (e.g., from FIG. 1) communicatively connected to the dataprocessing device system 310 (e.g., via controller 324 in thisembodiment). Input-output device system 320 may include auser-activatable control that is responsive to a user action.Input-output device system 320 may include one or more user interfacesor input/output (I/O) devices, for example one or more display devicesystems 332, speaker device systems 334, keyboards, mice, joysticks,track pads, touch screens or other transducers to transfer informationto, from, or both to and from a user, for example a care provider suchas a physician or technician. For example, output from a mapping processmay be displayed on a display device system 332. Input-output devicesystem 320 may include a sensing device system 325 configured to detectvarious characteristics including, but not limited to, at least one oftissue characteristics (e.g., electrical characteristics such as tissueimpedance, tissue type, tissue thickness) and thermal characteristicssuch as temperature. In this regard, the sensing device system 325 mayinclude one, some, or all of the transducers 306 (or 406 of FIG. 4) ofthe transducer based device 300, including the internal components ofsuch transducers shown in FIG. 4, such as the electrodes 315 andtemperature sensors 408.

Transducer-activation device system 322 may also include an energysource device system 340 including one or more energy source devicesconnected to transducers 306. In this regard, although FIG. 3A shows acommunicative connection between the energy source device system 340 andthe controller 324 (and its data processing device system 310), theenergy source device system 340 may also be connected to the transducers306 via a communicative connection that is independent of thecommunicative connection with the controller 324 (and its dataprocessing device system 310). For example, the energy source devicesystem 340 may receive control signals via the communicative connectionwith the controller 324 (and its data processing device system 310),and, in response to such control signals, deliver energy to, receiveenergy from, or both deliver energy to and receive energy from one ormore of the transducers 306 via a communicative connection with suchtransducers 306 (e.g., via one or more communication lines throughcatheter body 314, elongated cable 316 or catheter sheath 312) that doesnot pass through the controller 324. In this regard, the energy sourcedevice system 340 may provide results of its delivering energy to,receiving energy from, or both delivering energy to and receiving energyfrom one or more of the transducers 306 to the controller 324 (and itsdata processing device system 310) via the communicative connectionbetween the energy source device system 340 and the controller 324.

In any event, the number of energy source devices in the energy sourcedevice system 340 is fewer than the number of transducers in someembodiments. The energy source device system 340 may, for example, beconnected to various selected transducers 306 to selectively provideenergy in the form of electrical current or power (e.g., RF energy),light or low temperature fluid to the various selected transducers 306to cause ablation of tissue. The energy source device system 340 may,for example, selectively provide energy in the form of electricalcurrent to various selected transducers 306 and measure a temperaturecharacteristic, an electrical characteristic, or both at a respectivelocation at least proximate each of the various transducers 306. Theenergy source device system 340 may include as its energy source devicesvarious electrical current sources or electrical power sources. In someembodiments, an indifferent electrode 326 is provided to receive atleast a portion of the energy transmitted by at least some of thetransducers 306. Consequently, although not shown in FIG. 3A, theindifferent electrode 326 may be communicatively connected to the energysource device system 340 via one or more communication lines in someembodiments. In addition, although shown separately in FIG. 3A,indifferent electrode 326 may be considered part of the energy sourcedevice system 340 in some embodiments.

It is understood that input-output device system 320 may include othersystems. In some embodiments, input-output device system 320 mayoptionally include energy source device system 340, transducer-baseddevice 300 or both energy source device system 340 and transducer-baseddevice 300 by way of non-limiting example. Input-output device system320 may include the memory device system 330 in some embodiments.

Structure 308 can be delivered and retrieved via a catheter member, forexample a catheter sheath 312. In some embodiments, a structure providesexpansion and contraction capabilities for a portion of the medicaldevice (e.g., an arrangement, distribution or array of transducers 306).The transducers 306 can form part of, be positioned or located on,mounted or otherwise carried on the structure and the structure may beconfigurable to be appropriately sized to slide within catheter sheath312 in order to be deployed percutaneously or intravascularly. FIG. 3Ashows one embodiment of such a structure. In this example embodiment,each of the elongate members 304 includes a respective distal end 305(only one called out), a respective proximal end 307 (only one calledout) and an intermediate portion 309 (only one called out) positionedbetween the proximal end 307 and the distal end 305. The respectiveintermediate portion 309 of each elongate member 304 includes a first orfront surface 318 a that is positionable to face an interior tissuesurface within a bodily cavity (not shown) and a second or back surface318 b opposite across a thickness of the intermediate portion 309 fromthe front surface 318 a. In some embodiments, each of the elongatemembers 304 is arranged front surface 318 a-toward-back surface 318 b ina stacked array during an unexpanded or delivery configuration similarto that described in co-assigned International Application No.:PCT/US2012/022061 and co-assigned International Application No.:PCT/US2012/022062, both of which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entirety. In many cases a stacked array allows thestructure 308 to have a suitable size for percutaneous or intravasculardelivery. In this embodiment, the elongate members 304 are arranged tobe introduced into a bodily cavity (again not shown) distal end 305first. For clarity, not all of the elongate members 304 of structure 308are shown in FIG. 3A. A flexible catheter body 314 is used to deliverstructure 308 through catheter sheath 312.

In a manner similar to that described in co-assigned InternationalApplication No.: PCT/US2012/022061 and co-assigned InternationalApplication No.: PCT/US2012/022062, each of the elongate members 304 isarranged in a fanned arrangement 370 in FIG. 3B. In this embodiment, thefanned arrangement 370 is formed during the expanded or deployedconfiguration in which structure 308 is manipulated to have a size toolarge for percutaneous or intravascular delivery. In this exampleembodiment, structure 308 includes a proximal portion 308 a having afirst domed shape 309 a and a distal portion 308 b having a second domedshape 309 b. In this example embodiment, the proximal and the distalportions 308 a, 308 b include respective portions of elongate members304. In this example embodiment, the structure 308 is arranged to bedelivered distal portion 308 b first into a bodily cavity (again notshown) when the structure is in the unexpanded or delivery configurationas shown in FIG. 3A. In this example embodiment, the proximal and thedistal portions 308 a, 308 b are arranged in a clam shell configurationin the expanded or deployed configuration shown in FIG. 3B.

The transducers 306 can be arranged in various distributions orarrangements in various embodiments. In this example embodiment, variousones of the transducers 306 are spaced apart from one another in aspaced apart distribution in the delivery configuration shown in FIG.3A. In this example embodiment, various ones of the transducers 306 arearranged in a spaced apart distribution in the deployed configurationshown in FIG. 3B. In this example embodiment, various pairs oftransducers 306 are spaced apart with respect to one another. In thisexample embodiment, various regions of space are located between variouspairs of the transducers 306. For example, in FIG. 3B thetransducer-based device 300 includes at least a first transducer 306 a,a second transducer 306 b and a third transducer 306 c (all collectivelyreferred to as transducers 306). In this example embodiment each of thefirst, the second and the third transducers 306 a, 306 b and 306 c areadjacent transducers in the spaced apart distribution. In this exampleembodiment, the first and the second transducers 306 a, 306 b arelocated on different elongate members 304 while the second and the thirdtransducers 306 b, 306 c are located on a same elongate member 304. Inthis example embodiment, a first region of space 350 is between thefirst and the second transducers 306 a, 306 b. In this exampleembodiment, the first region of space 350 is not associated with anyphysical portion of structure 308. In this example embodiment, a secondregion of space 360 associated with a physical portion of device 300(e.g., a portion of an elongate member 304) is between the second andthe third transducers 306 b, 306 c. In this example embodiment, each ofthe first and the second regions of space 350, 360 does not include atransducer of transducer-based device 300. In this example embodiment,each of the first and the second regions of space 350, 360 does notinclude any transducer. It is noted that other embodiments need notemploy a group of elongate members 304 as employed in the illustratedembodiment. For example, other embodiments may employ a structure havinga one or more surfaces, at least a portion of the one or more surfacesdefining one or more openings in the structure. In these embodiments, aregion of space not associated with any physical portion of thestructure may extend over at least part of an opening of the one or moreopenings. In other example embodiments, other structures may be employedto support or carry transducers of a transducer-based device such as atransducer-based catheter. For example, an elongated catheter member maybe used to distribute the transducers in a linear or curvilinear array.Basket catheters or balloon catheters may be used to distribute thetransducers in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional array.

FIG. 7A is a block diagram of a method 700 employed according to someexample embodiments. In various example embodiments, a memory devicesystem (e.g., memory device systems 130, 330) is communicativelyconnected to a data processing device system (e.g., data processingdevice systems 110 or 310) and stores a program executable by the dataprocessing device system to cause the data processing device system toexecute method 700 via interaction with at least, for example, atransducer-based device (e.g., transducer-based devices 200, 300, or400). In these various embodiments, the program may include instructionsconfigured to perform, or cause to be performed, various ones of theinstructions associated with method 700. In some embodiments, method 700may include a subset of the associated blocks or additional blocks thanthose shown in FIG. 7A. In some embodiments, method 700 may include adifferent sequence between various ones of the associated blocks thanthose shown in FIG. 7A.

Block 702 includes instructions (e.g., graphical representationinstructions or graphical interface instructions provided by a program)configured to cause an input-output device system (e.g., input-outputdevice system 120 or 320) to display a graphical representation of atleast a portion of a transducer-based device. For example, FIG. 5Aillustrates a graphical interface including a graphical representation500 provided by the input-output device system according to one exampleembodiment provided in accordance with block 702. In this embodiment,the transducer-based device is a catheter-based device similar todevices 200 and 300 shown respectively in FIGS. 2 and 3. In this exampleembodiment, the graphical interface depicts graphical representation 500of the transducer-based device as including a first domed portion 500 aassociated with a first domed portion of the transducer-based device(e.g., proximal portion 308 a when having the first domed shape 309 a)and a second domed portion 500 b associated with a second domed portionof the transducer-based device (e.g., distal portion 308 b having thesecond domed shape 309 b). Various other transducer-based devices may bedepicted in other embodiments. FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, 5F, 5G, 5H, SI,5J, and 5K (collectively FIG. 5) are presented in this disclosure inassociation with various different embodiments. It is understood thateach of the different embodiments need not be associated with all of theFIG. 5, and in some cases will only be associated with a subset of theFIG. 5.

In this embodiment, the graphical representation 500 includes aplurality of graphical elements 501. Each of the graphical elements 501is respectively associated with a respective one of a plurality oftransducer sets. Each respective transducer set includes at least one ofa plurality of transducers included as part of the transducer-baseddevice (e.g., transducer-based devices 200, 300, or 400) and eachrespective transducer set has at least one different transducer thananother of the other transducer sets. In this particular embodiment,each respective transducer set has at least one different transducerthan each of the others of the other transducer sets.

In this example embodiment, each of at least some of the graphicalelements 501 are provided by a respective one of a plurality oftransducer graphical elements 502 that include at least a firsttransducer graphical element 502 a, a second transducer graphicalelement 502 b, and a third transducer graphical element 502 c (e.g., allthe transducer graphical elements collectively referred to as transducergraphical elements 502). In this example embodiment, each transducergraphical element 502 is associated with a single respective transducerof the transducer-based device. In some example embodiments, eachtransducer graphical element 502 is representative of a respectivetransducer of the transducer-based device. In some example embodiments,each transducer graphical element 502 is representative of a location orposition of a respective transducer of the transducer-based device. Inthis example embodiment, the graphical representation 500 includes afirst spatial relationship or arrangement between the displayedtransducer graphical elements 502 that is consistent with a secondspatial relationship or arrangement between the correspondingtransducers associated with the transducer graphical elements 502. Anelectrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) signal 523 is also shown in the graphicalinterface of FIG. 5A.

In this example embodiment, each of at least some of the graphicalelements 501 are provided by a respective one of a plurality of betweengraphical elements 504 including a first between graphical element 504 aand a second between graphical element 504 b (e.g., all the betweengraphical elements collectively referred to as between graphicalelements 504). In various embodiments, each of the between graphicalelements 504 is associated with a set of at least two of the transducersof the transducer-based device. In some example embodiments, each of thebetween graphical elements 504 is associated with a pair of transducersin the transducer-based device. In some example embodiments, eachbetween graphical element 504 is associated with a region of spacebetween a respective pair of transducers in the transducer-based device.In some example embodiments, each between graphical element 504 isassociated with a region of space between a respective pair of adjacentones of the transducers in the transducer-based device. In someembodiments, the region of space associated does not include anytransducer. In some embodiments, each of one or more of the betweengraphical elements 504 is associated with a region of space (e.g.,region of space 350) that is not associated with any physical part ofthe transducer-based device.

In this example embodiment, first transducer graphical element 502 a isassociated with a first transducer (e.g., first transducer 306 a) of thetransducer-based device, second transducer graphical element 502 bassociated with a second transducer (e.g., second transducer 306 b) ofthe transducer-based device, and third transducer graphical element 502c associated with a third transducer (e.g., third transducer 306 c) ofthe transducer-based device. In this example embodiment, the firstbetween graphical element 504 a is associated with a first region ofspace that is between the first and the second transducers and thesecond between graphical element 504 b is associated with a secondregion of space that is between the second and the third transducers. Inthis illustrated embodiment, the first region of space is a region ofspace that is not associated with any physical part of thetransducer-based device (e.g., first region of space 350) and the secondregion of space is a region of space that is associated with a physicalpart of the transducer-based device (e.g., second region of space 360).In this example embodiment, each of the first and the second betweengraphical elements 504 a, 504 b is associated with a region of spacethat does not include a transducer of the transducer-based device. Inthis example embodiment, each of the first and the second betweengraphical elements 504 a, 504 b is associated with a region of spacethat does not include any transducer. It is understood that a “region ofspace” need not be a vacant space but can include physical mattertherein.

In this example embodiment, the second transducer graphical element 502b is depicted in a first direction (e.g., represented by arrow 506 a)from the first transducer graphical element 502 a, and the first betweengraphical element 504 a is positioned between the second and the firsttransducer graphical elements 502 b, 502 a in the graphicalrepresentation. In this example embodiment, the third transducergraphical element 502 c is depicted in a second direction (e.g.,represented by arrow 506 b) from the second transducer graphical element502 b, and the second between graphical element 504 b is positionedbetween the second and the third transducer graphical elements 502 b,502 c. In this example embodiment, the first and the second directionsare non-parallel to each other. In this example embodiment, the firstbetween graphical element 504 a is formed, at least in part, at alocation in the graphical representation intersected by the firstdirection from the first graphical transducer element 502 a and thesecond between graphical element 504 b is formed, at least in part at alocation in the graphical representation intersected by the seconddirection from the second transducer graphical element 502 b. In otherexample embodiments, other spatial relationships exist between thetransducer graphical elements 502 and the between graphical elements 504in the graphical representation. It is understood that arrows 506 a, 506b do not form part of the graphical representation in this embodiment.

In this example embodiment, each of the between graphical elements 504includes a first end 507 (only one called out), a second end 508 (onlyone called out) and an elongate portion 509 (only one called out)extending between the first and the second ends 507, 508. The transducergraphical elements 502, the between graphical elements 504, or both mayhave different sizes, shapes or forms than those shown in theillustrated embodiment. In some embodiments, different ones of thetransducer graphical elements 502 may be depicted with different shapes,sizes or forms in the graphical representation. In some embodiments,different ones of the between graphical elements 504 may be depictedwith different shapes, sizes or forms in the graphical representation.In this embodiment, the respective elongate portion 509 of the firstbetween graphical element 504 a is depicted extending along the firstdirection (e.g., again represented by arrow 506 a) and the respectiveelongate portion 509 of the second between graphical element 504 b isdepicted extending along the second direction (e.g., again representedby arrow 506 b). In this example embodiment the first direction isdepicted generally orthogonal to the second direction in thethree-dimensional graphical representation. Other orientations betweenthe first and the second direction are possible in other embodiments.For example, FIG. 6 illustrates a graphical interface including agraphical representation 600 provided by an input-output device system(e.g., input-output device system 120 or 320) according to anotherexample embodiment. In a manner similar to FIG. 5A, the graphicalinterface of FIG. 6 provides a graphical representation 600 thatincludes a plurality of graphical elements 601, each of the graphicalelements 601 associated with a respective one of a plurality oftransducer sets. Each respective transducer set includes at least one ofa plurality of the transducers included as part of the transducer-baseddevice and each respective transducer set has at least one differenttransducer than another of the other transducer sets. In this particularembodiment, each respective transducer set has at least one differenttransducer than each of the others of the other transducer sets.

In a manner similar to the embodiment of FIG. 5A, the plurality ofgraphical elements 601 include a plurality of transducer graphicalelements 602 (e.g., including transducer graphical elements 602 a, 602 band 602 c) and a plurality of between graphical elements 604. In amanner similar to the embodiment of FIG. 5A, each of the transducergraphical elements 602 is associated with a transducer of atransducer-based device and each of the between graphical elements 604is associated with a region of space between a pair of transducers of atransducer based-device. In a manner similar to the embodiment of FIG.5A, each of at least some of the between graphical elements (e.g., firstbetween graphical element 604 a and a third between graphical element604 c) is associated with a respective region of space that is notassociated with any physical part of the transducer-based device. In amanner similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5A, each of at least someof the between graphical elements (e.g., second between graphicalelements 604 b) is associated with a respective region of space that isassociated with a physical portion of the transducer-based device (e.g.,an elongate member 304). In a manner similar to the embodiment shown inFIG. 5A, each of the between graphical elements 604 includes a first end607 (only one called out), a second end 608 (only one called out) and anelongate portion 609 (only one called out) extending between the firstand the second ends 607, 608. In this example embodiment, the respectiveelongate portion 609 of each of two of first ones of the betweengraphical element (e.g., between graphical elements 604 a, 604 b) isdepicted extending along a respective first direction (e.g., representedby respective ones of arrows 606 a, 606 b), and the respective elongateportion 609 of a second one of the between graphical elements 604 (e.g.,between graphical element 604 c) is depicted extending along a seconddirection (e.g., represented by arrow 606 c). In this exampleembodiment, the second direction is oblique to each of the firstdirections. In this example embodiment, the second direction forms anacute angle with respect to each of the first directions. In thisillustrated embodiment, each between graphical element 604 is associatedwith a region of space that does not include a transducer of atransducer-based device. In this illustrated embodiment, each betweengraphical element 604 is associated with a region of space that does notinclude any transducer.

Referring back to FIG. 5A, at least a portion of the transducergraphical elements 502, and at least a portion of the between graphicalelements 504 are arranged in a plurality of rows 510 (two called out)and a plurality of columns 512 (two called out, each column 512identified in the graphical representation by a respective one ofletters “A”, “B”, In this regard, it may be considered that thetransducers (e.g., 306 in FIGS. 3A, 3B) corresponding to the transducergraphical elements 502 are arranged in an arrayed distribution thatincludes a plurality of intersecting transducer rows and transducercolumns, a respective group of the plurality of transducers arrangedalong each of the transducer rows, and a respective group of theplurality of transducers arranged along each of the transducer columns.Adjacent ones of the transducer columns may be separated from each otherat least by a non-physical portion of the transducer-based system, e.g.,corresponding to region of space 350 in FIG. 3B, and adjacent ones ofthe transducer rows may be separated from each other at least by aphysical portion (e.g., a portion between transducers 306 along a sameelongate member 304) of the transducer-based system (e.g., 200, 300, or400).

Referring back to FIG. 5A, a portion of each of the columns 512 maycorrespond to region of space associated with a physical portion of thetransducer-based device (e.g., an elongate member 304). In this exampleembodiment, each of the columns 512 corresponds to at least a portion ofthe transducers located on a particular elongate member of atransducer-based device (e.g., an elongate member 304). In this exampleembodiment, each of the columns 512 corresponds to at least a portion ofthe transducers located on a respective one of a pair of domed portions500 a, 500 b arranged in a clam shell configuration similar to theembodiments of FIG. 3B. In embodiments in which each domed portion isformed by a respective portion of each of a plurality of elongatemembers (e.g., elongate members 304), a set of two or more of thecolumns 512 may correspond to the transducers located on a single one ofthe elongate members.

In this example embodiment, a portion of each of the rows 510corresponds to regions of space not associated with any physical portionof the transducer-based device (e.g., regions of space 350 betweenadjacent ones of the elongate members 304). In other exampleembodiments, different numbers of transducer graphical elements 502 anddifferent numbers and spatial arrangements of between graphical elements504 may be depicted in the graphical representation. In other exampleembodiments, different numbers and spatial arrangements of rows 510 andcolumns 512 may be depicted in the graphical representation. In variousembodiments, each of the between graphical elements (e.g., betweengraphical elements 504, 604) depicted in the graphical representationare representative of a respective physical path extending between arespective pair of transducers of the transducer-based device. Each ofthe physical paths may extend over a physical surface of thetransducer-based device or over a portion of an opening defined by aphysical surface of the transducer-based device. In the embodiment shownin FIG. 6, each between graphical element 604 is representative of arespective physical path extending between the respective transducersassociated with the adjacent pair of transducer graphical elements 602that the between graphical element 604 extends between. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 6, each adjacent pair of the transducergraphical elements 602 may be provided along a row 610 (two called out)of the graphical elements 601, along a column 612 (two called out) ofthe graphical elements 601, or diagonally between a row 610 and a column612.

Referring back to FIG. 5A, the transducer graphical elements 502 and thebetween graphical elements 504 in each respective one of the rows 510are interleaved with respect to one another along the respective one ofthe rows 510. In this illustrated embodiment, the transducer graphicalelements 502 and the between graphical elements 504 in each respectiveone of the columns 512 are interleaved with respect to one another alongthe respective one of the columns 512. In this illustrated embodiment,each one of the plurality of columns 512 shares a same transducergraphical element 502 with one of the plurality of rows 510. In thisillustrated embodiment, each respective one of the plurality of columns512 excludes any of the between graphical elements 504 included in eachof the plurality of rows 510. In this illustrated embodiment, at least afirst one of the between graphical elements 504 (e.g., second betweengraphical element 504 b) is depicted in the graphical representationbetween two adjacent ones of the plurality of rows 510 and at least asecond one of the plurality of between graphical elements 504 (e.g.,first between graphical element 504 a) is positioned between twoadjacent ones of the plurality of columns 512. In this exampleembodiment, the plurality of rows 510 and the plurality of columns 512are depicted as a three-dimensional arrangement in the graphicalrepresentation. In this example embodiment, at least two of theplurality of columns 512 are depicted in the graphical representationextending along respective directions that converge with respect to oneanother. In this illustrated embodiment, at least two of the pluralityof columns 512 are depicted in the graphical representation extendingalong non-parallel directions and at least two of the plurality of rows510 are depicted extending along parallel directions. In thisillustrated embodiment, the rows 510 and the columns 512 are depicted inthe graphical representation in an arrangement in which the columns 512are circumferentially arranged. In this illustrated embodiment, the rows510 and the columns 512 are depicted in the graphical representation inan arrangement having a generally spherical shape. The plurality ofcolumns 512 may be depicted like lines of longitude, and the pluralityof rows 510 may be depicted like lines of latitude.

In this illustrated embodiment, the respective first end 507 and therespective second end 508 of each of at least some of the plurality ofbetween graphical elements 504 connects to a transducer graphicalelement 502 in the graphical representation. The transducer graphicalelements 602 and a portion of the between graphical elements 604 in theembodiment of FIG. 6 are arranged in a similar manner to the embodimentshown in FIG. 5A. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, at least some of thebetween graphical elements 604 extend along respective directions thatform acute angles with the respective directions extended along byothers of the between graphical elements 604. In the embodiment of FIG.6, at least some of the between graphical elements 604 extend alongrespective directions that form acute angles with the respectivedirections extended along by a row 610 or a column 612.

The graphical interface of FIG. 5B includes the graphical representation500 with the addition of identification labels 513 (two called out) toeach of the transducer graphical elements 502. In this exampleembodiment identification labels are applied by operating theinput-output device system to activate a control button 514 identifiedas “View Options”. Selection, activation, or both selection andactivation of a control button, a selection box or other graphicalelement provided in the various embodiments may be accomplished viavarious input-output device system controls that can include a touchscreen, keyboard or computer mouse by way of non-limiting example. Invarious embodiments, selection of control button 514 causes theselection menu 515 identified as “Model View Options” to appear in thegraphical representation. Selection menu 515 provides various selectionboxes 516 that are selectable to vary the graphical representation ofthe portion of the transducer-based device between a three-dimensionalrepresentation (e.g., as depicted in FIGS. 5A and 5B) and a twodimensional representation (e.g., as depicted in FIG. 5D). Varioustwo-dimensional representations are possible in various embodiments. Forexample, the two-dimensional representation depicted in FIG. 5D is shownin a “Mercator-type” representation in which the first domed portion 500a (e.g., shown in FIG. 5A) of the depicted transducer-based device isdepicted as first Mercator projection 518 a and the second domed portion500 b (e.g., shown in FIG. 5A) of the depicted transducer-based deviceis a depicted as a second Mercator projection 518 b. The first and thesecond Mercator projections 518 a and 518 b advantageously allow forsimultaneous viewing of all the transducer graphical elements 502 andthe between graphical elements 504. Other two-dimensionalrepresentations including polar projections are also selectable.

Selection menu 515 provides various selection boxes 520 that can controlmouse drag functions between rotating and panning modes. A rotating modemay be advantageously used for manipulation of a three-dimensionalrepresentation of the transducer-based device to allow for viewing aportion of the three-dimensional representation that was not previouslyviewable. Selection menu 515 includes a plurality of selection boxes 522that allow for variations in the viewable content of the graphicalrepresentation. In this embodiment, a selection box 522 allows for theselective inclusion in the graphical representation of graphicalelements associated with various anatomical features. In some exampleembodiments, the graphical elements associated with the anatomicalfeatures are selectable from a menu and may be tailored to a particularprocedure in which the transducer-based device is employed. Various onesof the selection boxes 522 allow for selective inclusions of thetransducer graphical elements 502 (e.g., indicated as “Electrodes” inthis illustrated embodiment) and the selective inclusion of the betweengraphical elements 504 (e.g., indicated as “Segments” in thisillustrated embodiment). In this embodiment, a selection box 522 allowsfor the selective inclusion in the graphical representation of graphicalelements associated with lesions which may be of particular interest inembodiments in which various transducers of the transducer based-deviceablate tissue to form the lesions therein.

In this example embodiment, a selection box 522 allows for the selectiveinclusion of identification labels 513 (e.g., indicated as “Labels” inthis illustrated embodiment). In this example embodiment, each of theidentification labels 513 is employs an alpha-numeric format including aletter representative of the column 512 in which a correspondingtransducer graphical element is located and a number representative of alocation of the transducer graphical element 502 in the correspondingcolumn 514. Other identification schemes may be employed in otherembodiments.

Having described examples of the graphical representation displayedaccording to the instructions of block 702 in FIG. 7A, the selection ofone or more graphical elements in the graphical representation accordingto some embodiments will now be described with respect to block 710 inFIG. 7A. Accordingly, although FIG. 7A shows block 710 located afterblocks 707 and 708, the invention is not limited to this arrangement,and the selection of one or more graphical elements according to block710 can occur at any time the graphical elements are selectable, such aswhen they are displayed in the graphical representation displayedaccording to block 702. Blocks 704, 706, 707, and 708 in FIG. 7A aredescribed afterwards.

In this regard, the selection according to the instructions of block 710includes, in some embodiments, multiple constituent or sub-selections(although in other embodiments, the selection according to theinstructions of block 710 includes only a single selection). Forinstance, in some embodiments, block 710 includes selection instructionsconfigured to cause, due to execution of the selection instructions bythe data processing device system (e.g., exemplified by data processingdevice systems 110 or 310), selection of a graphical element. In someembodiments, such selection instructions include a first group ofinstructions configured to cause the data processing device system toreceive or process, via the input-output device system, a userinstruction to select a graphical element. In some of these embodiments,such selection instructions also include a second group of instructionsconfigured to cause the data processing device system to perform its ownselection of the graphical element in response to receiving the userinstruction. For instance, the user instruction to select the graphicalelement might originate from a user clicking a mouse button (e.g., afirst constituent selection) while a cursor is above a user-selectedgraphical element. In this case, the first group of instructions couldconfigure the data processing device system to recognize this userinstruction when it is received via the data input-output device systemas a user instruction to select the user-selected graphical elementbelow the cursor at the time of the mouse-button click. In someembodiments, the second group of instructions may configure the dataprocessing device system, in response to the first group of instructionsrecognizing this user instruction, to perform its own selection (e.g., asecond constituent selection) of the user-selected graphical element atleast by causing, via the input output device system, the display of theuser-selected graphical element to change one or more visualcharacteristics of the user-selected graphical element. Accordingly, theselection according to the instructions of block 710 may be deemed, insome embodiments, to involve a first, user-based constituent selectionand a second, machine-based or automatic constituent selection triggeredby the user-based constituent selection.

Although a mouse-click was provided above as an example of a user-basedconstituent selection, and the changing of a visual characteristic ofthe user-selected graphical element was provided as an example of amachine-based constituent selection, it should be noted, however, thatany form of user-based selection or machine-based selection of agraphical element known in the art can be used. In this regard, directinteraction with a graphical element itself (e.g., by way of a mouseclick on the graphical element) is not required to directly select thegraphical element or its corresponding transducer. For example, a usermight type a unique identifier associated with a graphical element ortransducer via a keyboard, which can cause direct selection of thatgraphical element or transducer.

Further, although a user-based constituent selection of a user-selectedgraphical element followed by a machine-based constituent selection ofthat user-selected graphical element was provided above as an example ofconstituent selections involved with block 710, it should be noted thata user-based constituent selection of a first user-selected graphicalelement can also cause a machine-based constituent selection of asecond, different, non-user-selected graphical element. For example, auser-performed mouse-click while the mouse cursor is above auser-selected between-graphical element 504 (e.g., a user-basedconstituent selection) can cause, possibly among other things, amachine-based constituent selection of the non-user-selected transducergraphical elements 502 at each end of the user-selected betweengraphical element 504. In this regard, the phrase, “user-selected”, whenused herein to describe a selected graphical element (e.g., a transducergraphical element or a between graphical element), is intended to referto a graphical element directly selected by a user, as opposed to anon-user-selected graphical element, which is a machine-selectedgraphical element that is machine-selected either in response to no userinstruction to select any graphical element or in response to auser-instruction to select a user-selected graphical element differentthan the machine-selected graphical element. In cases where a userselection of a user-selected graphical element causes amachine-selection of a different graphical element, it can be said thatthe different graphical element is indirectly selected by the user.

Further still, although a user-based constituent selection followed by amachine-based constituent selection was provided above as an example ofconstituent selections involved with block 710, it should be noted thatany number of constituent selections, whether user-based ormachine-based, can be involved with block 710. For example, dependingupon how the user-interface is structured, one or more user-basedconstituent selections may result in one or more machine-basedconstituent selections. For instance, multiple user gestures (e.g., adouble-fingered gesture on a touch screen, a mouseclick-drag-and-release sequence, or other multiple user-gesturetechnique) might be required to identify a particular user-selectedgraphical element in order to cause the data processing device system tochange the visual characteristics of (or provide another form ofselection of) the particular user-selected graphical element. Foranother example, multiple user-based constituent selections might be amouse click-and-hold followed by a dragging of a cursor to expand aselection box originating from the initial mouse click location,followed by a releasing of the mouse button to define the final size ofthe selection box. This initial user-based selection (comprised of themultiple user-based constituent selections) could be recognized by thedata processing device system according to the above-discussed firstgroup of instructions, and cause multiple machine-based or automaticconstituent selections performed by the data processing device systemaccording to the above-discussed second group of instructions. Forinstance, these multiple machine-based or automatic constituentselections could include a first constituent selection by the dataprocessing device system of all graphical elements residing within theselection box, followed by a second constituent selection of only thosegraphical elements deemed to reside within the selection box whosecorresponding transducers have been deemed acceptable for concurrentselection (see, e.g., the discussions below regarding block 707 in FIG.7A, as well as the discussions below regarding FIG. 7B) or activation(see, e.g., the discussions below regarding block 708 in FIG. 7A andblock 804 in FIG. 8).

Further still, although one or more user-based constituent selectionsfollowed by one or more machine-based constituent selections wasprovided above as an example of constituent selections involved withblock 710, it should be noted that block 710 might not involve anyuser-based constituent selections. For example, graphical elementselection according to block 710 might occur based upon data receivedfrom transducers, and this data might result in one or moremachine-based or automatic constituent selections performed by the dataprocessing device system.

It should be noted that, whenever a selection of a graphical element isdiscussed herein, such selection, in some embodiments, can include theabove-discussed constituent selections. However, the above-discussedconstituent selections are not limited to just selections of graphicalelements and can apply to any selection described herein. For example,one or more user-based constituent selections of a user-selectedgraphical element can lead to one or more machine-based constituentselections of the user-selected graphical element or some othergraphical element(s), which can lead to one or more machine-basedselections of one or more transducers corresponding to themachine-selected graphical elements, the machine-based selection(s) ofthe one or more transducers possibly causing an activation of the one ormore transducers. For another example, one or more user-basedconstituent selections of a user-selected graphical element can lead toone or more machine-based constituent selections of one or more dataobjects associated with the user-selected graphical element, one or moreother associated graphical elements, one or more transducers associatedwith the user-selected graphical element, or one or more other objectsassociated with the user-selected graphical element, such as forpurposes of viewing or changing properties of the one or more dataobjects or causing an activation based upon information provided by theone or more data objects. It should also be noted that theabove-discussion regarding block 710 and user and machine basedselections and constituent selections may apply, in some embodiments, toblock 710 in FIG. 7B, block 808 in FIG. 8, block 908 in FIG. 9, blocks807 and 808 in FIG. 10, block 1102 in FIG. 12, block 1202 in FIG. 13,block 1302 in FIG. 14, block 1402 in FIG. 15A, block 1502 in FIG. 16, orany other selection-based discussions herein.

In view of the above-discussion regarding selection types involved withblock 710, in some embodiments, the instructions of block 710 areprovided in a program that includes instructions configured to cause thedata processing device system to receive a selection from theinput-output device system of a transducer graphical element (e.g.,transducer graphical element 502 or 602).

The selection of one or more graphical elements according toinstructions of block 710 in FIG. 7A may cause, in some embodiments, anactivation of at least some transducer sets of a transducer-based device(e.g., 200, 300, or 400) according to instructions of block 712. In someembodiments, block 712 includes instructions configured to cause anactivation of each of at least some of the transducer sets of thetransducer-based device (e.g., again exemplified by transducer baseddevices 200, 300, or 400) in response to receiving a selection of acorresponding one of the graphical elements (e.g., graphical elements501, 601) in accordance with selection instructions included in block710.

In some embodiments, the program can include activation instructions(e.g., in accordance with block 712) configured to, in response toreceiving the selection of a transducer graphical element (e.g.,transducer graphical element 502, 602), cause, via the input-outputdevice system, activation of the respective transducer of thetransducer-based device corresponding to the selected transducergraphical element. In various embodiments, the instructions configuredto activate the respective transducer corresponding to the selectedtransducer graphical element include instructions that are configured tocause energy from an energy source device system (e.g., energy sourcedevice system 340) to be delivered to the respective transducer. In someembodiments, a sensing device system (e.g., provided at least in part bya number of the transducers) is arranged to sense at least one tissueelectrical characteristic (e.g., tissue impedance) at a respectivelocation at least proximate the respective transducer corresponding tothe selected transducer graphical element with the energy delivered tothe transducer (e.g., in some embodiments, tissue impedance may bemeasured between transducers on the structure 308 or between atransducer on the structure 308 and the indifferent electrode 326). Insome of these various embodiments, the energy is sufficient for ablatingtissue (e.g., tissue-ablating energy). In some of these variousembodiments, an indifferent electrode (e.g., indifferent electrode 326)is provided (e.g., usually to an external surface of a body) while thetransducer-based device is received in a bodily cavity within the body.A portion of the tissue-ablating energy delivered to the respectivetransducer corresponding to the selected transducer graphical elementmay be transmitted from the respective transducer to the indifferentelectrode in a process typically referred to as monopolar ablation. Insome embodiments, the instructions of block 712 that are configured toactivate the respective transducer corresponding to the selectedtransducer graphical element includes instructions that are configuredto cause a sensing device system (e.g., sensing device system 325) todetect electrophysiological activity in an intra-cardiac cavity at alocation at least proximate the respective transducer. The detectedelectrophysiological activity can be displayed as an electrogram via theinput-output device system (e.g. electrograms 535 in various ones ofFIG. 5). In some embodiments, detection of electrophysiological activityin an intra-cardiac cavity at a location at least proximate various onesof the transducers occurs continuously. Other forms of activation of therespective transducer corresponding to the selected transducer graphicalelement are possible in other embodiments. In some embodiments,activation of the respective transducer corresponding to the selectedtransducer graphical element under the influence of the instructionsconfigured to activate the respective transducer is referred to asmonopolar activation. Monopolar activation can include activation formonopolar ablation or monopolar electrogram generation by way ofnon-limiting example.

For another example, in some embodiments, the instructions of block 710are provided in a program that includes selection instructionsconfigured to cause, due to execution of the selection instructions bythe data processing device system (e.g., again exemplified by dataprocessing device systems 110 or 310), reception of a selection from theinput-output device system of a between graphical element (e.g., betweengraphical elements 504 or 604). In accordance with the instructions ofblock 712 the program can include activation instructions configured to,in response to receiving the selection, cause activation, via theinput-output device system, of a respective set of two or more of thetransducers (e.g., a pair of the transducers in some embodiments) of thetransducer-based device corresponding to the between graphical element.

Advantageously, activating a set of two or more of the transducers basedon a selection of a single graphical element (e.g., between graphicalelement 504 or 604) provides for a workflow that is less cumbersome andmore expeditious than individually selecting the respective graphicalelements (e.g., transducer graphical elements 502 or 602) associatedwith each transducer of the set of two or more of the transducers,especially when 50, 100, 200 or even over 300 or more transducergraphical elements are provided in the graphical representation. This iseven more advantageous, when a single graphical element (e.g., betweengraphical element 504 or 604) provides additional information (e.g.,spatial information) relating each of the transducers in the set of twoor more of the transducers. For example, a between graphical element 504or 604 can indicate a distance between or acceptability-of-activation oftransducers of a corresponding transducer pair, and, accordingly, thebetween graphical element 504 or 604 provides, in some embodiments,information about the corresponding pair of transducers and, thereby,makes the selection process more efficient. In addition, allowingselection of the between-graphical elements for corresponding transduceractivation can provide a more intuitive user-interface in certainapplications. For example, such an arrangement allows a user to makeselections along an ablation path or a path along which data is to beobtained, without having to focus on the transducers required to makethat ablation path or acquire that data. The user can, for example, justselect a path using between graphical elements (e.g., user-basedselection(s)/constituent selection(s)), and the correspondingtransducers are automatically selected (e.g., machine-basedselection(s)/constituent selection(s)) in response. Since various onesof the between graphical elements need not be tied to any physicalportion of the transducer-based device, they can be freely designed toreflect the path (e.g., over tissue or fluid) in which theircorresponding transducers will interact when activated (e.g., by causingablation or gathering data). In this regard, if the between graphicalelements are configured to accurately represent their respective pathsegments in which ablation or data gathering will occur, according tosome embodiments, the user can gain an even better understanding of theexpected results of activation of the corresponding transducers.

In some of the embodiments where the instructions according to block 712are configured to cause a data processing device system to activate arespective set of two or more of the transducers, the instructionsaccording to block 712 include instructions that are configured to causeenergy from an energy source device system (e.g., energy source devicesystem 340) to be delivered to the respective set of two or more of thetransducers. In some embodiments, a sensing device system (e.g., sensingdevice system 325) is arranged to sense at least one tissue electricalcharacteristic (e.g., tissue impedance) at respective locations at leastproximate each transducer of the respective set of two or more of thetransducers with the energy delivered to the respective set of two ormore of the transducers (e.g., in some embodiments, tissue impedance maybe measured between transducers on the structure 308 or between atransducer on the structure 308 and the indifferent electrode 326). Insome embodiments, (a) a portion of the energy delivered to a firsttransducer of the respective set of two or more of the transducers(e.g., first transducer 306 a) is transmitted by the first transducer,(b) a portion of the energy delivered to a second transducer of therespective set of two or more of the transducers (e.g., secondtransducer 306 b) is transmitted by the second transducer, or both (a)or (b). In some of embodiments, (a) a portion of the energy delivered toa first transducer of the respective set of two or more of thetransducers (e.g., first transducer 306 a) is transmitted by the firsttransducer to a second transducer of the respective set of two or moreof the transducers (e.g., second transducer 306 b), (b) a portion of theenergy delivered to the second transducer of the respective set of twoor more of the transducers is transmitted by the second transducer tothe first transducer, or both (a) or (b). In some embodiments, theenergy is sufficient for ablating tissue (e.g., tissue ablating energy).In some example embodiments, a selected between graphical element (e.g.,between graphical elements 504 or 604) is representative of a physicalpath extending between a respective pair of the transducers associatedwith the selected between graphical element and the energy is sufficientfor ablating a portion of tissue extending along the physical path. Aportion of the tissue-ablating energy may be transmitted between therespective pair of the transducers in a process typically referred to asbipolar ablation. In some embodiments, an indifferent electrode (e.g.,indifferent electrode 326) is provided (e.g., usually to an externalsurface of a body) while the transducer-based device is received in abodily cavity within the body. Some of the tissue-ablating energy may betransmitted between the respective pair of the transducers while some ofthe tissue-ablating energy may be transmitted from various ones of therespective pair of the transducers to the indifferent electrode in aprocess typically referred to as blended monopolar-bipolar ablation. Theterm “bipolar ablation” as used in this disclosure is to be interpretedbroadly to include blended monopolar-bipolar ablation in someembodiments.

In addition to embodiments where the instructions according to block 712are configured to cause a data processing device system to cause bipolarablation, the instructions according to block 712, in some embodiments,are configured to cause a data processing device system to causemulti-transducer monopolar ablation with the respective set of two ormore of the transducers, e.g., dual monopolar ablation for twotransducers, or triple monopolar ablation for three transducers. In suchcases, for example, the respective set of two or more of the transducersmay be ‘queued’ for monopolar ablation, such that monopolar ablationoccurs for each transducer in the respective set of two or more of thetransducers within some period of time, but not necessarily at the sametime or even contiguously one right after another. However, in someembodiments, concurrent monopolar activation (e.g., ablation) may occurfor the respective set of two or more of the transducers. In thisregard, references herein to the occurrence of monopolar ablation formore than one transducer may include this multi-transducer monopolarablation according to some embodiments. In addition, any referenceherein to the occurrence of bipolar ablation may be replaced with theoccurrence of dual monopolar ablation (or other multi-transducermonopolar ablation when more than two transducers are involved),according to some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the instructions, according to block 712,configured to activate the respective set of two or more of thetransducers include instructions that are configured to cause a sensingdevice system to detect electrophysiological activity in anintra-cardiac cavity at each of respective locations at least proximateeach of the transducers of the set. The detected electrophysiologicalactivity detected at each of the respective locations can be displayedas an electrogram via the input-output device system (e.g., electrograms535 shown in various ones of FIG. 5). In some example embodiments, acombined electrogram (e.g., a bipolar electrogram) (not shown) may bedetermined (e.g., by instructions provided by a program) from therespective electrograms associated with each transducer of therespective set of two or more of the transducers. The program mayinclude instructions configured to display the combined electrogram viathe input-output device system. Other forms of activation are possiblein other embodiments involving activation of a respective set of two ormore of the transducers. In some embodiments, activation under theinfluence of the instructions configured to activate a respective pairof transducers associated with a selected between graphical element maybe referred to as bipolar activation when the pair of the transducers isactivated in a bipolar manner (e.g., bipolar ablation or bipolarelectrogram generation). Selection of each of at least some of theplurality of graphical elements 501 or 601 in accordance with theinstructions of block 710 may include independent selections of each ofthe at least some of the graphical elements 501 or 601.

Having discussed embodiments where blocks 710 and 712 follow block 702in FIG. 7A, a discussion will now begin regarding embodiments whereblock 704 follows block 702. Block 704 of method 700, in someembodiments, includes instructions (e.g., input instructions included ina program) that cause the data processing device system (e.g., dataprocessing device systems 110 or 310) to receive transducer data from atleast some of the transducers via the input-output device system. Thistransducer data can take various forms, such as one or more of variousdetected characteristics including, but not limited to, e.g., electricalcharacteristics (such as electrical potential or impedance), thermalcharacteristics (such as temperature), and force.

Various embodiments can process or analyze the transducer data receivedby the data processing device system according to the instructions ofblock 704 in order to, for example, generate and possibly display one ormore electrograms, determine the acceptability of selection oractivation of particular transducers, generate a map (e.g., a map ofanatomical features), determine the status of tissue ablation, orcombinations of these tasks. Accordingly, it should be noted that someembodiments need not be limited to any particular form of processing oranalysis of the transducer data received by the data processing devicesystem according to the instructions of block 704. In this regard,although various embodiments need not be limited to any particularprocessing or analysis of the transducer data received according to theinstructions of block 704, block 706 of method 700 pertains to someembodiments where the transducer data is analyzed to identify variousregions that correspond to at least a portion of one or more anatomicalfeatures. For example, according to some embodiments, block 706 includesinstructions (e.g., determination or identification instructionsincluded in a program) that are configured to identify various regions525 (e.g., FIGS. 5C-5I) in the graphical representation (generatedaccording to the instructions of block 702) that correspond to at leasta portion of one or more anatomical features based at least on ananalysis of the transducer data.

In embodiments such as these, where the transducer-based device isdeployed in a bodily cavity (e.g., when the transducer-based devicetakes the form of a catheter device arranged to be percutaneously orintravascularly delivered to a bodily cavity), it may be desirable toperform various mapping procedures in the bodily cavity. Although thesemapping procedures can be implemented according to the instructions ofblock 706, these mapping procedures can be performed at other times,such as any time during the generation of or after the display of thegraphical representation of at least a portion of the transducer-baseddevice (e.g., block 702, 802, or 902). It is noted that in someembodiments, the mapping procedure need not be limited to the mapping ofvarious anatomical landmarks. For example, when the bodily cavity is anintra-cardiac cavity, the mapping procedure may include mappingelectrophysiological activity in the intra-cardiac cavity. In someembodiments, the mapping procedure may include mapping varying degreesof contact between various ones of the transducers (e.g., electrodes)and a tissue surface of a bodily cavity into which the transducers arelocated.

An example of the mapping performed by devices according to variousembodiments (such as those represented by block 706 in FIG. 7A) would beto locate the position of the ports of various bodily openingspositioned in fluid communication with a bodily cavity. For example, insome embodiments, it may be desired to determine the locations ofvarious ones of the pulmonary veins or the mitral valve that eachinterrupt an interior surface of an intra-cardiac cavity such as a leftatrium.

In some example embodiments, the mapping is based at least on locatingsuch bodily openings by differentiating between fluid and tissue (e.g.,tissue defining a surface of a bodily cavity). There are many ways todifferentiate tissue from a fluid such as blood or to differentiatetissue from a bodily opening in case a fluid is not present. Fourapproaches may include by way of non-limiting example:

1. The use of convective cooling of heated transducer elements by fluid.A slightly heated arrangement of transducers that is positioned adjacentto the tissue that forms the interior surface(s) of a bodily cavity andacross the ports of the bodily cavity will be cooler at the areas whichare spanning the ports carrying the flow of fluid.

2. The use of tissue impedance measurements. A set of transducerspositioned adjacently to tissue that forms the interior surface(s) of abodily cavity and across the ports of the bodily cavity can beresponsive to electrical tissue impedance. Typically, heart tissue willhave higher associated tissue impedance values than the impedance valuesassociated with blood.

3. The use of the differing change in dielectric constant as a functionof frequency between blood and tissue. A set of transducers positionedaround the tissue that forms the interior surface(s) of the atrium andacross the ports of the atrium monitors the ratio of the dielectricconstant from 1 KHz to 100 KHz. Such can be used to determine which ofthose transducers are not proximate to tissue, which is indicative ofthe locations of the ports.

4. The use of transducers that sense force (e.g., force sensors). A setof force detection transducers positioned around the tissue that formsthe interior surface of the bodily cavity and across the bodily openingsor ports of the bodily cavity can be used to determine which of thetransducers are not engaged with the tissue, which is indicative of thelocations of the ports.

The graphical interface of FIG. 5C includes various regions 525 c (e.g.,part of a plurality of regions collectively referred to as regions 525when considering all of the FIG. 5) added to the graphicalrepresentation 500 of the transducer-based device. The regions 525 couldbe identified and displayed according to the instructions of block 706in FIG. 7A in some embodiments. Although, such regions 525 could beidentified and displayed at other times or according to otherinstructions. In some embodiments, the graphical interface depicted inFIG. 5C is generated after the transducer-based device was received in abodily cavity having various anatomical features of interest and thecontrol button 526 identified as “Map” was activated via theinput-output device system to select a mode referred to as “Flow”.Techniques for flow-based mapping techniques are disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: US 2008/0004534. Invarious embodiments associated with various ones of FIG. 5, theanatomical features of interest are mapped ports of a mitral valve andvarious pulmonary veins positioned in fluid communication with anintra-cardiac cavity (e.g., a left atrium in this embodiment) depictedas interrupting a surface of a tissue wall of the intra-cardiac cavity(although other bodily cavities could be mapped by the systems or devicesystems described herein). In these various embodiments, the transducersof the transducer-based device are distributed adjacent respectiveregions in the intra-cardiac cavity that can include relatively lowerblood flow regions (e.g., adjacent a tissue surface of the intra-cardiaccavity), relatively higher flow regions (e.g., over the ports of theintra-cardiac cavity). It is noted that relatively lower blood flowregions in the intra-cardiac cavity may occur when a transducer ispositioned in contact with a tissue surface to restrict blood flow atthe contacted tissue. In some example embodiments, the relatively largenumber of transducers in the distribution advantageously allows for eachof the transducers to be positioned adjacent their corresponding regionswith little or no repositioning of the transducer-based device therebyfacilitating obtaining transducer-based data concurrently from amultitude of locations in the bodily cavity. In this example embodiment,activation via the input-output device system of the control button 526identified as “Map” can allow for other types of maps, including but notlimited to, tissue contact maps, isochronal maps, isopotential maps,propagation maps, and various other voltage maps associated withintra-cardiac electrical activity.

Returning to the specific case of block 706 in FIG. 7A, one or more ofthe above-discussed mapping procedures may be implemented according toinstructions of block 706 to identify various regions 525 in thegraphical representation that correspond to at least a portion of one ormore anatomical features based at least on an analysis of the transducerdata received according to block 704. In some of these embodiments, theone or more anatomical features are the ports of various bodily openings(e.g., pulmonary veins, left lateral appendage, mitral valve) positionedin fluid communication with the intra-cardiac cavity and the transducerdata includes data containing various blood flow data within the bodilycavity. In this embodiment, the instructions in block 706 includeinstructions that are configured to cause the input-output device systemto display the identified regions 525 of the graphical representation500. In this example embodiment, the various ones of the identifiedregions 525 are shown in the three-dimensional graphical representation500 provided by the graphical interface of FIG. 5C and thetwo-dimensional graphical representation 500 provided by the graphicalinterface of FIG. 5D.

In FIG. 5D, the relatively large region 525 a is associated with themitral valve, region 525 b is associated with the left lateralappendage, regions 525 c are associated with the left pulmonary veingroup and regions 525 d are associated with the right pulmonary veingroup. Each of the regions 525 is depicted in the graphicalrepresentation 500 with a graduated pattern provided by the flowidentifier 527 in the graphical interface of FIG. 5D. A graduatedpattern can be employed to indicate various regions in the graphicalrepresentation corresponding to different regions of flow in theintra-cardiac cavity. The identified regions 525 may be identified byany suitable methods including the use of gray-scale patterns, differentcolors, different opacities, different intensities and different shapes.It is understood that other embodiments may employ other techniques toidentify regions in the graphical representation corresponding to adesired anatomical feature. For example, transducer-based datacontaining blood and tissue impedance information may be employed todetermine regions 525. As previously discussed in this detaileddescription, a selection box 522 may be optionally enabled to allow forthe selective inclusion in the graphical representation of graphicalelements associated with various anatomical features associated withregions 525.

Identification of the regions 525 may be motivated for various reasons.For example, in embodiments in which transducers of transducer-baseddevice are activated to treat or diagnose various regions in a bodilycavity, the identification of various regions 525 and their spatialrelationship relative to one another may impact the efficacy of thetreatment or diagnostic procedure. For example, in situations in whichat least some of the transducers of a transducer-based device areemployed to ablate various regions within an intra-cardiac cavity (e.g.,to treat atrial fibrillation), ablation of a pulmonary vein may resultin an undesired condition referred to as pulmonary stenosis.Identification of regions 525 c, 525 d in the graphical representationmay be employed to reduce occurrences of this undesired condition.

In some embodiments, contrary to what is shown in FIG. 7A, block 706immediately precedes block 710, with block 707, block 708, or bothomitted. However, in some embodiments, block 707 is between blocks 706and 710 as shown in FIG. 7A. In addition, in some embodiments, block 707need not occur between blocks 706 and 710 as shown in FIG. 7A, and can,for example, instead occur immediately after block 704, with block 710immediately following and block 706 omitted. Similarly, in someembodiments, block 708 is between blocks 706 and 710 as shown in FIG.7A. However, in some embodiments, block 708 need not occur betweenblocks 706 and 710 as shown in FIG. 7A, and can, for example, insteadoccur immediately after block 704, with block 710 immediately followingand block 706 omitted.

In any event, regarding block 707 and block 710, concurrent selection ofa set of two or more of the transducers in the transducer-based device(e.g., a pair of adjacent transducers 306) is provided in someembodiments for enhanced workflows that are less cumbersome and moreexpeditious than those associated with non-concurrent selection of eachtransducer of the set of two or more of the transducers. For example, insome embodiments, a user-based selection of a between graphical element(e.g., between graphical elements 504 or 604) allows for a machine-basedconcurrent selection of an associated set of two or more transducers invarious embodiments.

In this regard, block 707 includes, in some embodiments, identificationinstructions (e.g., instructions provided in a program) configured tocause identification of which of the respective transducers of each ofvarious sets of two or more of the transducers of a transducer-baseddevice are and which are not acceptable for concurrent selection.

Concurrent selection or non-concurrent selection of the respectivetransducers of a given one of the sets of two or more of the transducersmay be motivated for various reasons. For example, concurrent selectionof transducers may lead to a more expeditious workflow thatadvantageously reduces diagnostic or treatment times. Conditions,however, may not allow for the concurrent selection of the respectivetransducers of each of various ones of selectable sets of two or moretransducers.

For example, if a transducer of a transducer pair is deemednot-activation-ready (e.g., according to the instructions of block 708or block 804, discussed below), the transducer pair can be deemed,according to the instructions of block 707, to be a transducer set thatis not acceptable for concurrent selection. A set of two or moretransducers (e.g., a pair of transducers) that is identified (e.g., viainstructions of block 708 or block 804, discussed below) as including atleast one not-activation-ready transducer of the transducer-based device(e.g., a not-ablation-ready transducer) may, in some embodiments, bedeemed, according to the identification instructions of block 707, as aset of two or more of the transducers of a transducer-based device whoserespective transducers are not acceptable for concurrent selection. Insome embodiments, a set of two or more of the transducers that isidentified (e.g., via instructions of block 708 or block 804, discussedbelow) as not including any not-activation-ready transducer of thetransducer-based device (e.g., a not-ablation-ready transducer) may bedeemed, according to the identification instructions of block 707, as aset of two or more of the transducers whose respective transducers areacceptable for concurrent selection.

The identification instructions of block 707 need not be limited tocausing identification of a set of two or more transducers as acceptableor not acceptable for concurrent selection, and need not be limited todetermining the acceptability of concurrency of selection based upon adetermination of activation-ready transducers (e.g., via instructions ofblock 708 or block 804, discussed below). In some embodiments, theidentification instructions of block 707 include instructions configuredto cause, at least in part, the identification of the respectivetransducers of each of the sets of two or more transducers which areacceptable for concurrent selection based at least on an analysis oftransducer data received in accordance with the instructions of block704. In other words, acceptability of the concurrency of selection canbe determined on a transducer-group basis or on an individual-transducerbasis. These differing approaches can lend themselves to differentcircumstances. For example, in some situations, it may be preferable todetermine whether an entire group of transducers is acceptable forconcurrent selection, while in other situations, it may be beneficial toknow whether individual transducers in each group are acceptable forconcurrent selection.

In some embodiments, each of the sets of two or more of the transducersof the transducer-based device including a pair of adjacent transducersthat are spaced with respect to one another across a correspondingregion of space, each region of space not including any transducer. Insome of these embodiments, a determination of whether or not one ofthese regions of space is acceptable for activation by its correspondingrespective transducer pair is used as a basis for determining whether ornot the respective transducer pair is acceptable for concurrentselection. For example, if the region of space is deemed to beacceptable for activation by the corresponding respective transducerpair, then the respective transducer pair is identified as beingacceptable for concurrent selection in some embodiments. In someembodiments, the regions of space are determined to be acceptable foractivation of the corresponding respective transducers according todetermination instructions (e.g., according to some embodiments of theinstructions of block 708 in FIG. 7A or block 804 in FIG. 8, discussedbelow). In this regard, the identification instructions of block 707 maybe further configured to cause, at least in part, the identification ofthe respective transducers of each of the pairs of adjacent ones of thetransducers which are acceptable for concurrent selection as therespective transducers of each of the plurality of pairs of adjacenttransducers whose corresponding regions of space have been determined,according to determination instructions (not shown, but similar to theinstructions of block 708 or block 804, discussed below) to beacceptable for activation of the corresponding respective transducers,and cause, at least in part, the identification of the respectivetransducers of each of the pairs of adjacent ones of the transducerswhich are not acceptable for concurrent selection as the respectivetransducers of each of the plurality of pairs of adjacent transducerswhose corresponding regions of space have been determined, according tothe determination instructions (not shown, similar to the instructionsof block 708 or block 804, discussed below) to be not acceptable foractivation of the corresponding respective transducers.

Acceptability of concurrency of selection of transducers or a region ofspace corresponding to transducers need not based on or solely on adetermination of the acceptability of activation of the correspondingtransducers (e.g., pursuant to instructions according to block 708 orblock 804, discussed below) in some embodiments. In this regard,transducers or regions of space each corresponding to transducers can bedeemed to be acceptable or not acceptable for concurrent selection,according to various embodiments of the instructions of block 707, basedon any reason which might make it beneficial or not beneficial toconcurrently select the corresponding transducers.

In some embodiments, a result of one or more of the identificationsaccording to the instructions of block 707 is the distinguishing display(e.g., by different visual characteristics) of graphical elementsassociated with transducers identified to be acceptable for concurrentselection as compared to graphical elements associated with transducersidentified to be not-acceptable for concurrent selection. In thisregard, the instructions according to block 707 include, in someembodiments, instructions configured to cause the graphicalrepresentation displayed according to the instructions of block 702 tovisually distinguish its graphical elements associated with transducersidentified to be acceptable for concurrent selection as compared tographical elements associated with transducers identified to benot-acceptable for concurrent selection. In this regard, anyinstructions according to block 707 that affect the appearance of thegraphical representation can be considered to be part of block 702 insome embodiments. The same applies to block 708 (with respect to block702) in FIG. 7A, block 804 (with respect to block 802) in FIG. 8, block812 (with respect to block 802) in FIG. 8, block 910 (with respect toblock 902) in FIG. 9, block 912 (with respect to block 902) in FIG. 9,discussed below, and any other similar discussions herein, wheredistinguishing visual characteristics of graphical elements in agraphical representation facilitate differences in information orstatus.

To elaborate with respect to block 702 for example purposes only,various graphical element sets may be displayed by the displayinstructions of block 702, each graphical element set including one ormore graphical elements (e.g., graphical elements 501 or 601) and eachgraphical element set associated with a respective one of a number ofsets of two or more of the transducers (e.g., transducers oftransducer-based devices 200, 300 or 400). Method 700 may includeinstructions (e.g., instructions provided in a program), (not shown)configured to cause graphical representation instructions of block 702to cause the input-output device system (e.g., input-output devicesystem 120 or 320) to display each of the graphical element setsassociated with each of the sets of two or more of the transducers whoserespective transducers have been identified (e.g., according toidentification instructions associated with block 707) to be acceptablefor concurrent selection with a respective set of visual characteristicsthat distinguishes each of the graphical element sets associated witheach of the sets of two or more of the transducers whose respectivetransducers have been identified to be acceptable for concurrentselection from each of the graphical element sets associated with eachof the sets of two or more of the transducers whose respectivetransducers have been identified to be not acceptable for concurrentselection. Differences in the displayed visual characteristics mayinclude different colors, opacities, hues, intensities, shading,patterns, shapes or the addition or removal of any displayed informationsuitable for distinguishing a concurrently-selectable transducer setfrom a not-concurrently-selectable transducer set.

For example, in some embodiments associated with FIGS. 5C and 5D, onlythe between graphical elements 504 that are each associated with acorresponding set of transducers (e.g., a corresponding pair oftransducers in this embodiment) whose respective transducers are deemedacceptable for concurrent selection are displayed, and between graphicalelements 504 that are associated with a corresponding pair oftransducers that include at least one transducer that is deemed notacceptable for concurrent selection are not displayed. The presence orabsence of a particular graphical element (e.g., a between graphicalelement 504) may form at least part of differences associated withdisplayed visually characteristics referenced in block 707.

In various embodiments of FIGS. 5C and 5D, the absent between graphicalelements 504 indicate that their respective pairs of transducers eachhave been identified (e.g., according to the instructions of block 708,discussed below) to be over a region of space that is deemedunacceptable for activation (e.g., ablation) because such regions ofspace include a portion of a port of a bodily opening, which, in someembodiments, is not acceptable for ablation. These identifications leadto a conclusion, in some embodiments, (e.g., according to theinstructions of block 707), that these respective pairs of transducersare not acceptable for concurrent selection in some embodiments. In someof these embodiments, such as those illustrated by FIGS. 5C and 5D, thegraphical elements associated with these respective transducer pairsidentified not to be acceptable for concurrent selection, are notdisplayed so that they are visually distinguished from the betweengraphical elements 504, which are displayed and which are associatedwith respective transducer pairs that have been identified to beacceptable for concurrent selection according to the instructions ofblock 707.

One reason for identifying a transducer set as being not-acceptable forconcurrent selection according to the instructions of block 707 is thatthe transducer set, when activated, could be harmful to an affectedregion of space. However, other factors may also have a bearing onwhether the respective transducers of a particular set of two more ofthe transducers are deemed concurrently selectable. In addition,combinations of different factors may be considered in the determinationof whether the respective transducers of a particular set of two or moreof the transducers are, or are not, acceptable for concurrent selection.

By way of a non-limiting example, another reason for determining atransducer set to be not-acceptable for concurrent selection, accordingto some embodiments of the instructions of block 707, is thattransducers in the transducer set are too far apart, such that, forexample, activation of the transducers in the set would lead to a resultthat may be considered ineffective. For example, if a transducer pair istoo far apart, ablation performed by the pair might not be able toreliably form an electrophysiological conduction block between them.

The embodiments of FIG. 5K illustrate examples of transducer pairs beingtoo far apart and, therefore, being deemed to be unacceptable forconcurrent selection according to some embodiments of the instructionsof block 707. In this regard, FIG. 5K illustrates a graphical interfaceincluding a graphical representation 500 provided by an input-outputdevice system (e.g., input-output device system 120 or 320) according tosome embodiments. Graphical representation 500 in FIG. 5K is similar tothe graphical representation 500 in FIG. 5A and includes a plurality ofgraphical elements including various transducer graphical elements andbetween graphical elements. For convenience of discussion, the pluralityof graphical elements of graphical representation 500 are identified asgraphical elements 501, the plurality of transducer graphical elementsof graphical representation 500 are identified as transducer graphicalelements 502, and the between graphical elements of graphicalrepresentation 500 are identified as between graphical elements 504. Thegraphical elements 501 in graphical representation 500 in FIG. 5K arearranged in a plurality of rows 510 (e.g., latitudinal rows) and aplurality of columns 512 (e.g., longitudinal columns) in a mannersimilar to that shown by graphical representation 500 in FIG. 5A. Thetransducer graphical elements 502 and between graphical elements 504 ingraphical representation 500 in FIG. 5K have similar associations with aspatial distribution of transducers (e.g., transducers 306 in FIG. 3A,3B) as their counterparts in graphical representation 500 in FIG. 5A.

In this illustrated embodiment, graphical representation 500 in FIG. 5Kis distinguished from graphical representation 500 in FIG. 5A in variousways including an absence of a between graphical element 504 between therespective transducer graphical elements 502 of various adjacent pairsof the transducers graphical elements 502. For example, a betweengraphical element 504 is not displayed between adjacent transducergraphical elements 502 d and 502 e. In this illustrated embodiment, anabsence of between graphical elements 504 occurs in some of the rows510. In this illustrated embedment, the presence or absence of aparticular between graphical element 504 in the graphical representation500 in FIG. 5K is indicative, at least in part, of differences in thevisual characteristics of particular graphical elements 501 associatedwith sets of two or more transducers whose respective transducers havebeen identified by the instructions of block 707 to be acceptable forconcurrent selection and particular graphical elements 501 associatedwith sets of two or more transducers whose respective transducers havebeen identified by the instructions of block 707 to be not acceptablefor concurrent selection. In various example embodiments, betweengraphical elements 504 are displayed between corresponding pairs oftransducer graphical elements 502 associated with transducers that havebeen identified by the instructions of block 707 to be acceptable forconcurrent selection, while between graphical elements 504 are notdisplayed between corresponding pairs of transducer graphical elements502 associated with transducers that have been identified by theinstructions of block 707 to be not acceptable for concurrent selection.

In some example embodiments, the instructions 707 are further configuredto cause, at least in part, the identification of the respectivetransducers of each of the pairs of adjacent ones of the transducers ina distribution which are acceptable for concurrent selection as therespective transducers of each of the plurality of pairs of adjacentones of the transducers in the distribution having a respectivetransducer-to-transducer distance that is not greater than a targettransducer-to-transducer distance, and cause identification, at least inpart, of the respective transducers of each of the pairs of adjacentones of the transducers in the distribution which are not acceptable forconcurrent selection as the respective transducers of each of theplurality of pairs of adjacent ones of the transducers in thedistribution having a transducer-to-transducer distance that is greaterthan the target transducer-to-transducer distance. In embodimentsinvolving relatively low temperature ablations, the targettransducer-to-transducer distance might be one-half an electrode width.In embodiments involving relatively higher temperature ablations, largertarget transducer-to-transducer distances might be sufficient. Invarious embodiments, ablation temperatures lower than the thermalcoagulation temperature of blood are preferred. Other factors that mayimpact the target transducer-to-transducer distance might include tissuethickness, tissue type, characteristics of fat layers embedded in thetissue, the blood's susceptibility to forming coagulum, and whether ornot a pair of transducers performing the ablation are separated by aphysical portion of the transducer-based device, such as by an elongatemember 304. In some embodiments, a target transducer-to-transducerdistance associated with a particular pair of the transducers isdetermined or selected to increase a likelihood that aelectrophysiological conduction block that blocks electrophysiologicalactivity between the particular pair of transducers will be formed intissue upon activation of the transducers. In some embodiments,concurrent selection of a pair of transducers whose activation would notlikely result in a desired electrophysiological conduction block may bedeemed unacceptable according to the instructions of block 707.

It is noted that different target transducer-to-transducer distances maybe employed for different pairs of the transducers. For example, a firsttarget transducer-to-transducer distance associated with a pair oftransducers spaced with respect to one another over a region of spacethat includes a physical portion of a structure on which the transducersare located (e.g., structure 308) may be different (e.g., greater) thana second target transducer-to-transducer distance associated with a pairof transducer that are spaced with respect to one another across aregion of space that does not include a physical portion of a supportingstructure (e.g., structure 308). In the embodiments of FIG. 5K, betweengraphical elements 504 are not displayed between transducers graphicalelements 502 arranged in particular ones of the rows 510 having thegreatest depicted spacing between adjacent transducer graphical elements502.

In some particular embodiments, between graphical elements 504 are notdisplayed between transducer graphical elements 502 arranged in rows 510a and 510 b, because the transducer-to-transducer distances of thetransducers (e.g., transducers 306) corresponding to these transducergraphical elements 502 in these rows each exceeds a target distance(e.g., in use). Therefore, in some embodiments, it is determined (e.g.,according to the instructions of block 707) that the transducerscorresponding to the transducer graphical elements 502 along rows 510 aand 510 b are not acceptable for concurrent selection, which results inthe non-display of the corresponding between graphical elements 504.However, between graphical elements 504 are displayed between transducergraphical elements 502 arranged in the other rows (including row 510 c),because the transducer-to-transducer distances of the transducerscorresponding to these transducer graphical elements 502 in these rowseach are within a target distance. Therefore, in some embodiments, it isdetermined (e.g., according to the instructions of block 707) that thetransducers corresponding to the transducer graphical elements 502 alongthe other rows (besides rows 510 a and 510 b) are acceptable forconcurrent selection, which results in the display of the correspondingbetween graphical elements 504.

It should be noted that although the embodiments of FIG. 5K illustratethe unacceptability of concurrency of selection of various transducerpairs latitudinally arranged on a supporting structure due to excessivetransducer-to-transducer distance, acceptability of concurrency ofselection of transducer pairs or larger groups can be determined on anindividual transducer-group basis and based on other factors or otherfactors in conjunction with transducer-to-transducer distance. Forexample, a transducer-based device (e.g., similar to transducer-baseddevice 300) represented by a graphical representation in FIG. 5K maycontort when placed in a bodily cavity, and therefore,transducer-to-transducer distances may vary between transducer pairs insome directions (e.g., across regions of space that do not include aphysical portion of the supporting structure). Therefore, in someembodiments, the transducer-to-transducer distances are calculated inreal time for each possible transducer pair via transducer data receivedaccording to the instructions of block 704, and based at least upon thistransducer data, each possible transducer pair is identified as beingacceptable or not acceptable for concurrent selection according to theinstructions of block 707, and the corresponding between graphicalelements are consequently displayed or not displayed in the graphicalrepresentation. In some embodiments, a particular transducer pair isidentified as being acceptable or not acceptable for concurrentselection according to the instructions of block 707 on the basis ofother factors in addition to the transducer-to-transducer distanceassociated with the particular transducer pair (e.g., location of thetransducer pair to a particular anatomical feature).

Further, in some embodiments, acceptability of concurrency of selectionneed not be performed on a transducer-pair-basis. For example, in someof these embodiments, a group of three or more transducers that couldform one possible ablation path could be evaluated as a group todetermine whether all transducers within that group are acceptable forconcurrent selection, e.g., to determine whether a possible ablationpath is acceptable of activation (e.g., ablation). In this regard, insome embodiments, the instructions of block 707 are configured to causeidentification, for each of a plurality of transducer sets of three ormore transducers (e.g., each representing a possible ablation path),whether or not all transducers within the corresponding transducer setare acceptable for concurrent selection.

Having discussed the identification of transducer sets that areacceptable and transducer sets that are not acceptable for concurrentselection according to the instructions of block 707, a discussion ofsome embodiments of graphical element selection and activation accordingto the instructions of blocks 710 and 712 in FIG. 7A will now bediscussed with respect to FIG. 7B.

FIG. 7B includes an exploded view of the selection instructions of block710 and the activation instructions of block 712 according to someexample embodiments. In some embodiments, all of the blocks shown inFIG. 7B may not be required. Block 710A includes first selectioninstructions (e.g., instructions provided in a program) configured tocause selection (e.g., a first selection) of at least one graphicalelement in a first graphical element set of a plurality of graphicalelement sets. In some embodiments, the first graphical element set isassociated with a first one of the sets of two or more of thetransducers whose respective transducers have been identified accordingto the instructions of block 707 to be acceptable for concurrentselection, and the first selection instructions are configured to causeconcurrent selection, in response to the selection of the at least onegraphical element in the first graphical element set, of the respectivetransducers of the first one of the sets of two or more of thetransducers. However, identification of the respective transducers asacceptable for concurrent selection, and concurrent selection of therespective transducers may not be required in some embodiments.

For example, a user might directly select a between graphical elementsuch as a between graphical element 504 or 604 (i.e., the betweengraphical element is a user-selected between graphical element), whichmight cause the first selection instructions to cause the dataprocessing device system to (a) perform a machine-selection of theuser-selected between graphical element (e.g., by changing its visualcharacteristics), and (b) perform a machine-selection (or in someembodiments, a concurrent selection) of the transducers in a transducerpair corresponding to the user-selected between graphical element. Insome embodiments, the transducer pair is identified to be acceptable forconcurrent selection. In some embodiments, the machine-based selectionof the transducer pair may lead to an activation (or in someembodiments, a concurrent activation) of the transducers of that pair(e.g., block 712A, discussed below). In some embodiments, including, butnot limited to embodiments where the user directly selects a betweengraphical element (i.e., the between graphical element isuser-selected), the machine-selection(s) may or may not include amachine-selection of a transducer graphical element. In someembodiments, the first selection does not include a user-selectedtransducer graphical element. In some embodiments, including, but notlimited to embodiments where the user directly selects a betweengraphical element, the selection of the at least one graphical elementin the first graphical element set according to the instructions ofblock 710A is a selection, at one time, of each of the at least onegraphical element in the first graphical element set. For example, theuser directly selects, at one time, a between graphical element via amouse click with the cursor above the between graphical element, whichcauses a corresponding machine selection, at one time, of theuser-selected between graphical element, e.g., by changing a visualcharacteristic of the user-selected between graphical element. Althoughthe above-discussion regarding block 710A includes examples involvingboth a user graphical element selection and a machine graphical elementselection, some embodiments involve only a machine graphical elementselection at block 710A.

Block 710B includes second selection instructions configured to causeselection (e.g., a second selection as opposed to the first selectiondiscussed above with respect to block 710A) of at least one graphicalelement in a second graphical element set of the graphical element sets.In some embodiments, the second graphical element set is associated witha second one of the sets of two or more of the transducers whoserespective transducers have been identified according to theinstructions of block 707 to be not acceptable for concurrent selection,and the second selection instructions are configured to causenon-concurrent selection, in response to the selection of the at leastone graphical element in the second graphical element set, of therespective transducers of the second one of the sets of two or more ofthe transducers. However, identification of the respective transducersas not acceptable for concurrent selection, and non-concurrent selectionof the respective transducers are not required in some embodiments. Insome embodiments, the selection of the at least one graphical element inthe second graphical element set is a selection, over a time interval,of at least two of the graphical elements in the second graphicalelement set.

For example, a user might directly select a first transducer graphicalelement such as a first transducer graphical element 502 or 604 (i.e.,the first transducer graphical element is a user-selected transducergraphical element), which might cause the second selection instructionsto cause the data processing device system to (a1) perform a selection(or machine selection) of the user-selected first transducer graphicalelement (e.g., by changing its visual characteristics), and ( )) selectthe transducer corresponding to the user-selected first transducergraphical element. Then, the user might directly select a secondtransducer graphical element such as a second transducer graphicalelement 502 or 604 (i.e., the second transducer graphical element is auser-selected transducer graphical element), which might cause thesecond selection instructions to cause the data processing device systemto (a2) perform a selection (or machine selection) of the user-selectedsecond transducer graphical element (e.g., by changing its visualcharacteristics), and (b2) select the transducer corresponding to theuser-selected second transducer graphical element. Accordingly, in someembodiments, the user-selections of the first and second transducergraphical elements over a time interval cause the correspondingmachine-selections of the first and second transducer graphical elementsover a time interval. In some embodiments, these machine selections (b1)and (b2) of the transducers corresponding to the user-selected first andsecond transducer graphical elements are non-concurrent selections. Insome embodiments, the machine-based selections (b1) and (b2) of thetransducers corresponding to the user-selected first and secondtransducer graphical elements may lead to an activation (or in someembodiments, a non-concurrent activation) of such transducers (e.g.,block 712, discussed below).

In some embodiments, the second graphical element set selected accordingto the instructions of block 710B has a different number of graphicalelements than the first graphical element set selected according to theinstructions of block 710A. For example, the second graphical elementset selected according to the instructions of block 710B could includetwo transducer graphical elements 502, while the first graphical elementset selected according to the instructions of block 710A could include,in some embodiments, only a between graphical element 504 or, in otherembodiments, two transducer graphical elements 502 and a betweengraphical element 504.

Block 712A shown in FIG. 7B includes activation instructions (e.g.,instructions provided in a program) configured to cause activation ofthe transducers corresponding to the first graphical element setselected according to the instructions of block 710A. Block 712B shownin FIG. 7B includes activation instructions (e.g., instructions providedin a program) configured to cause activation of the transducerscorresponding to the second graphical element set selected according tothe instructions of block 710B.

In some embodiments, the activation instructions of block 712A includeactivation instructions configured to, in response to the concurrentselection of the respective transducers of the first one of the sets oftwo or more of the transducers cause concurrent activation, via theinput-output device system (e.g., input-output device system 120 or320), of each of the respective transducers of the first one of the setsof two or more of the transducers. In some embodiments, the concurrentactivation may include monopolar activation of each of the respectivetransducers of the first one of the sets of two or more of thetransducers. In some embodiments, the concurrent activation may includebipolar activation between the respective transducers of the first oneof the sets of two or more of the transducers. The monopolar or bipolaractivation of the respective transducers of the first one of the sets oftwo or more of the transducers may include sufficient energy beingdelivered from an energy source device system (e.g., energy sourcedevice system 340) to each of the respective transducers of the firstone of the sets of two or more of the transducers, the energy sufficientto cause ablation of tissue in a bodily cavity. In some of theseembodiments, conditions allow for the energy to be sufficient to causean electrophysiological activity conduction block to be formed in thetissue between the respective transducers of the first one of the setsof two or more of the transducers.

In some embodiments, the activation instructions of block 712B includesecond activation instructions configured to, in response to thenon-concurrent selection of the respective transducers of the second oneof the sets of two or more of the transducers cause non-concurrentactivation, via the input-output device system, of each of therespective transducers of the second one of the sets of two or more ofthe transducers. In some embodiments, the activation instructions ofblock 712B include second activation instructions configured to, inresponse to the non-concurrent selection of the respective transducersof the second one of the sets of two or more of the transducers,preclude bipolar activation, via the input-output device system, betweenthe respective transducers of the second one of the sets of two or moreof the transducers. In various embodiments, selection instructions(e.g., the selection instructions of block 808) allow for the concurrentselection of a pair of transducers by the selection of a particularbetween graphical element 504 made in accordance with various aspects ofmethod 700.

In some embodiments associated with FIG. 7B, a first selection of atleast one of the graphical elements 501 (e.g., between graphical element504 a shown in FIG. 5F, for example) from a first graphical element setis caused according to first selection instructions (e.g., instructionsof block 710A) to select a first pair of transducers made up of a firsttransducer and a second transducer (e.g., transducers 306). FIG. 5F isconsidered to include a group of transducer graphical elements 502, andin some of these embodiments, the first selection may not include a userselection of any user-selected transducer graphical elements 502 in thegroup (e.g., the first selection could be for the between graphicalelement 504 a in cases where the first selection is only for transducerpairs deemed to be concurrently selectable according to the instructionsof block 707).

In some embodiments, a second selection of at least one of the graphicalelements 501 in FIG. 5F is caused according to second selectioninstructions (e.g., instructions of block 710B) to select a second pairof the transducers made up of the first transducer and a thirdtransducer. For example, in some embodiments, the second selection maynot include a user selection of any user-selected transducer graphicalelements 502 (e.g., the second selection could be for the betweengraphical element 504 d in cases where the second selection is only fortransducer pairs deemed to be concurrently selectable according to theinstructions of block 707). In some embodiments, the second selectionmay not include a user selection of any user-selected between graphicalelements 504 (e.g., the second selection could be for at least aselected transducer graphical element (e.g., transducer graphicalelement 502 f shown in FIG. 5F) in cases where the second selection isonly for transducer pairs deemed to be not-concurrently selectableaccording to the instructions of block 707). In various embodiments,each of the first, the second, and the third transducers are differenttransducers which respectively correspond to transducer graphicalelements 502 a, 502 b and 502 f In various embodiments, each of thefirst pair of transducers and the second pair of transducers (eachselected by respective ones of the first selection according to theinstructions of block 710A and the second selection according to theinstructions of block 710B, for example) is an adjacent pair oftransducers in a distribution of transducers. In some embodiments, thesecond selection includes a selection of at least two transducergraphical elements in the group (e.g., transducer graphical elements 502f and 502 a).

As stated above, a first spatial relationship between the plurality oftransducer graphical elements 502 in the graphical representation ofFIG. 5F, for example, may be consistent with a second spatialrelationship between corresponding ones of the transducers in thedistribution. In some embodiments, each of between graphical elements504 a and 504 d is associated with a respective region of space thatdoes not include a physical portion of a structure on which thetransducers are located (e.g., structure 308). In other embodiments, atleast one of the first pair and the second pair of transducers maycorrespond to a between graphical element 504 that is associated with aregion of space that includes a physical portion of the structure. Suchdistinctions can be important, as discussed herein, in determining theacceptability of concurrency of selection of graphical elements andtransducers, the acceptability of activation of transducers, theduration of activation, and for other reasons discussed herein.

As discussed above, the selections according to the instructions ofblocks 710A and 710B can occur by way of any combination of one or moremachine-based constituent selections and, optionally or additionally,user-based constituent selections. In some embodiments, each of thefirst selection (e.g., according to the instructions of block 710A) andthe second selection (e.g., according to the instructions of block 710B)includes a user-selected graphical element 501 selected by a useraccording to a user instruction (e.g., a user-based constituentselection, as discussed above) to select the user-selected graphicalelement 501. In some embodiments, the first selection, the secondselection, or each of the first selection and the second selection doesnot include a selection of a user-selected transducer graphical element502 made in response to a user instruction to select the transducergraphical element. For instance, a user may instruct selection of abetween graphical element 504, which can cause a machine-based selectionof a pair of transducer graphical elements 502 that correspond to theuser-selected between graphical element 504, and, optionally, amachine-based selection of a pair of transducers that correspond to thepair of transducer graphical elements 502. In some embodiments, thesecond selection does not include a selection of a user-selectedtransducer graphical element 502 made in response to a user instructionto select the transducer graphical element.

While in some embodiments, both the first selection (e.g., according tothe instructions of block 710A) and the second selection (e.g.,according to the instructions of block 710B) do not include a selectionof a user-selected transducer graphical element made 502 in response toa user selection to select the user-selected transducer graphicalelement 502, in other embodiments, the second selection may include aselection of at least one user-selected between graphical element 504(e.g., 504 d) (e.g., made in response to a user-instruction to selectthe at least one user-selected between graphical element).

Block 710C shown in FIG. 7B includes third selection instructionsemployed in some embodiments, the third selection instructionsconfigured to, in response to receiving a user instruction to select atleast one user-selected graphical element, cause the data processingdevice system (e.g., data processing device system 110 or 310) to aselect at least one other graphical element. In one particularembodiment, the third selection instructions are configured to cause thedata processing device system to select at least a second graphicalelement (e.g., transducer graphical elements 502 a and 502 b) inresponse to a user instruction to select between graphical element 504a. In this particular embodiment, the third selection instructions areconfigured to select at least a third graphical element (e.g.,transducer graphical elements 502 a and 5020 in response to a userinstruction to select the user-selected between graphical element 504 d.Visual characteristics of user-selected graphical elements and graphicalelements selected by the data processing device system in response toreceiving a user instruction to select at least one user-selectedgraphical element may be changed as discussed above. In someembodiments, the first activation instructions of block 712A, the secondactivation instructions of block 712B or each of the first and thesecond activation instructions include instructions configured to causeactivation of a corresponding one of the sets of two or more of thetransducers in response to the selection of at least one graphicalelement made by the data processing device system in response to atleast receiving a user instruction to select at least one user-selectedgraphical element.

Having discussed identifying the acceptability of concurrency ofselection of transducer sets with respect to block 707 and correspondingsubsequent selection of transducer graphical elements and activation ofcorresponding transducers pursuant to FIG. 7B, block 708 in FIG. 7A willnow be described. Block 708 can include, in some embodiments,instructions provided by a program to cause the data processing devicesystem to identify activation-ready transducers and not-activation-readytransducers based at least upon an analysis of transducer data (e.g.,received according to the instructions of block 704). For example, insome embodiments, if the analysis of the transducer data indicates thatcertain transducers are located above an anatomical feature that shouldnot be ablated, those certain transducers are identified according tothe instructions of block 708 to be not-activation-ready transducers.Another example of not-activation-ready transducers includes those thathave insufficient contact with tissue to properly ablate or acquiretissue characteristics, as determined, for example, according tomeasurements (e.g., various electrical, force, or pressure measurements)represented in the transducer data. The instructions according to block708 include, in some embodiments, instructions configured to cause thegraphical representation displayed according to the instructions ofblock 702 to visually distinguish the not-activation-ready transducersfrom the activation-ready transducers.

In this regard, block 708 includes, in some embodiments, instructions(e.g., identification instructions) provided by a program configured tocause the data processing device system to identify activation-readytransducers of the transducer-based device as transducers deemed, basedat least on an analysis of the transducer data (e.g., received accordingto the instructions of block 704), acceptable for activation (e.g.,activation according to the instructions of block 712), andnot-activation-ready transducers of the transducer-based device astransducers deemed, based at least on the analysis of the transducerdata, not acceptable for activation (e.g., activation according to theinstructions of block 712).

As discussed above, the identification of activation-ready transducersand not-activation-ready transducers of a transducer-based device inaccordance with the instructions of block 708 can take different forms.In this regard, block 804 in FIG. 8 provides an example of theinstructions of block 708 in FIG. 7A, according to some embodiments. Itshould be noted that block 802 corresponds to block 702 in someembodiments, blocks 806 and 808 correspond to block 710 in someembodiments, and block 810 corresponds to block 712 in some embodiments.However, in some embodiments, FIG. 8 stands on its own independently ofFIG. 7A. In this regard, the method 800 pertains to ablation-causingactivations, although it is understood that other forms of activationmay be employed in other embodiments. Reference to at least some of FIG.5 continues with the discussion of FIG. 8 for convenience of discussion.In some embodiments, method 800, like method 700, may include a subsetof the associated blocks or additional blocks than those shown. Inaddition, in some embodiments, method 800, like method 700, may includea different sequence between various ones of the associated blocks thanthose shown in FIG. 8.

The example of block 804, in some embodiments, includes instructions(e.g., identification instructions provided by a program) configured toidentify an activation-ready transducer of the transducer-based device(e.g., transducer-based devices 100, 300, 400) as a transducer that isassociated with or adjacent a region of space deemed, based at least onan analysis of the transducer data, acceptable for ablation. In someembodiments, this “adjacent region of space” is a region of space thatincludes matter that would be activated, ablated, or otherwiseinteracted with by the corresponding transducer due to ablationactivation or other activation of the corresponding transducer. In someembodiments, a region of space is determined, in view of an analysis ofthe transducer data, to be acceptable for ablation or activation of acorresponding transducer set, when the region of space is not determinedto be unacceptable for ablation or activation. In some embodiments, aregion of space is determined, in view of an analysis of the transducerdata, to be not acceptable for ablation or activation of a correspondingtransducer set, when all or particular matter in the region of space maybe negatively or unacceptably negatively impacted by the ablation oractivation of the corresponding transducer set. In some embodiments,block 804 includes instructions (not shown, e.g., identificationinstructions provided by a program) configured to cause identificationof an activation-ready transducer of the transducer-based device (e.g.,transducer-based devices 100, 300, 400) as a transducer that is deemed,based at least on an analysis of the transducer data, to be locatedwithin sufficient proximity to a region of space, the sufficientproximity deemed acceptable for ablation. In some embodiments, thissufficient proximity is deemed to require contact between the transducerand the tissue to be ablated.

In some embodiments, block 804 also includes instructions (e.g.,identification instructions provided by a program) configured toidentify a not-activation-ready transducer of the transducer-baseddevice as a transducer that is adjacent a region of space deemed, basedat least on the analysis of the transducer data, not acceptable forablation. In some embodiments, block 804 includes instructions (notshown, e.g., identification instructions provided by a program)configured to identify a not-activation-ready transducer of thetransducer-based device (e.g., transducer-based devices 100, 300, 400)as a transducer that is deemed, based at least on an analysis of thetransducer data, not within sufficient proximity to a region of space,the sufficient proximity deemed acceptable for ablation.

It is understood that a transducer may be identified as anactivation-ready transducer or not-activation-ready transducer on thebasis of other criteria in other embodiments. In some embodiments,activation-ready transducers are referred to as ablation-readytransducers and not-activation-ready transducers are referred to asnot-ablation-ready transducers. In some embodiments, at least two of theablation-ready transducers or at least two of the not-ablation-readytransducers may be located on a same structural member (e.g., anelongate member 304) of a transducer-based device. In some embodiments,at least two of the ablation-ready transducers or at least two of thenot-ablation-ready transducers may be located on different structuralmembers (e.g., different elongate members 304) of a transducer-baseddevice. These differences can be important as transducers along astructural member may have different ablation characteristics thantransducers located on different structural members that have nophysical portion of the transducer based device between them. Forexample, ablation along structural members may have, for example,different insulating effects on ablation as compared to ablation betweenstructural members.

In some embodiments where the transducer-based device or a portionthereof is receivable or positionable in a bodily cavity, theinstructions of block 804 may include instructions configured to requirethat, in order for a region of space to be deemed acceptable forablation, the region of space be determined, based at least on theanalysis of the transducer data (e.g., received according to theinstructions of block 704, which may be part of block 804 or betweenblocks 802 and 804 in some embodiments), to be associated with a tissuein the bodily cavity that is acceptable for ablation. The instructionsof block 804 may include instructions configured to require that, inorder for a region of space to be deemed not acceptable for ablation,the region of space be determined, based at least on the analysis of thetransducer data, to be associated with a tissue in the bodily cavitythat is not acceptable for ablation. In some embodiments, the bodilycavity is an intra-cardiac cavity and the tissue in the bodily cavitythat is not acceptable for ablation is blood.

In some embodiments where the transducer-based device or a portionthereof is receivable or positionable in a bodily cavity, theinstructions of block 804 may include instructions configured to requirethat, in order for a region of space to be deemed acceptable forablation, the region of space be determined, based at least on theanalysis of the transducer data, to be associated with an anatomicalfeature of the bodily cavity that is acceptable for ablation. Theinstructions of block 804 may include instructions configured to requirethat, in order for a region of space to be deemed not acceptable forablation, the region of space be determined, based at least on theanalysis of the transducer data, to be associated with an anatomicalfeature of the bodily cavity that is not acceptable for ablation (e.g.,a pulmonary vein).

In some embodiments where the transducer-based device or a portionthereof is receivable or positionable in a bodily cavity that includes atissue wall surface interrupted by one or more ports in fluidcommunication with the bodily cavity, the instructions of block 804 mayinclude instructions configured to require that, in order for a regionof space to be deemed not acceptable for ablation, the region of spacebe determined, based at least on the analysis of the transducer data, tooverlie a least part of a port of the one or more ports.

Referring back to FIGS. 5C and 5D, the various regions 525 areassociated with regions of space deemed not suitable or acceptable forablation while various other regions of the graphical representationthat exclude regions 525 are associated with regions of space deemedsuitable for ablation in this illustrated embodiment. In someembodiments, like the above-discussion with respect to blocks 708 and702, regions of space deemed suitable for ablation can be visuallydistinguished from the regions of space deemed not suitable for ablationin the graphical representation displayed according to the instructionsof block 802. In this regard, the graphical representation instructionsfor visually distinguishing the regions of space deemed suitable forablation from the regions of space deemed not suitable for ablation mayreside in block 804 or in 802, according to some embodiments. In anyevent, these graphical representation instructions (e.g., graphicalrepresentation instructions included in a program) may be configured, insome embodiments, to cause an input-output device system (e.g.,input-output device system 120 or 320) to display a graphicalrepresentation of at least a portion of a transducer-based device.

In some embodiments, like the above-discussion with respect to blocks708 and 702, the graphical representation instructions may includeinstructions configured to cause the input-output device system todisplay the graphical elements 501 that are associated with transducersets including the ablation-ready transducers with a first set of visualcharacteristics and to display the graphical elements 501 that areassociated with transducer sets including the not-ablation-readytransducers with a second set of visual characteristics different thanthe first set of visual characteristics. In some embodiments, the firstset of visual characteristics, the second set of visual characteristics,or both the first and the second sets of visual characteristics eachincludes a plurality of different visual characteristics. Differentvisual characteristics can include different colors, opacities, hues,intensities, shading, patterns, shapes or the addition or removal of anydisplayed information suitable for distinguishing an ablation-readytransducer from a not-ablation-ready transducer. In the embodiment ofFIGS. 5C and 5D, transducer graphical elements 502 that are positionedover any of the regions 525 (e.g., transducer graphical elements 502associated with not-ablation-ready transducers) are displayed withdifferent visual characteristics (e.g., a thick line circle in thisembodiment) than the transducers graphical elements 502 that are notpositioned over any of the regions 525 (e.g., transducer graphicalelements 502 associated with the ablation-ready transducers).

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5C and 5D, only the betweengraphical elements 504 that are each associated with a corresponding setof transducers (e.g., a corresponding pair of transducers in thisembodiment) that includes only ablation-ready transducers are displayed.In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5C and 5D, only the betweengraphical elements 504 that are each associated with a respective regionof space that is located between a corresponding pair of transducersthat includes only ablation-ready transducers are displayed. In theembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5C and 5D, only the between graphicalelements 504 that are each associated with a respective region of spacethat does not include any transducer and does not include any portion ofa region of spaced deemed, based at least on the transducer data, notacceptable for ablation are displayed.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5C and 5D, each of the betweengraphical elements 504 that is associated with a corresponding set oftransducers (e.g., a corresponding pair of transducers in thisembodiment) that includes at least one not-ablation-ready transducers isnot displayed. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5C and 5D, each ofthe between graphical elements 504 that is associated with a region ofspace between a corresponding pair of transducers that includes at leastone not-ablation-ready transducer is not displayed. In the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 5C and 5D, each of the between graphical elements504 that is associated with a region of space that does not include anytransducer but does include a portion of a region of spaced deemed,based at least on the transducer data, not acceptable for ablation(e.g., a region 525) is not displayed.

Moving on to a discussion of blocks 806 and 808 in FIG. 8, which maycorrespond to block 710 in some embodiments, block 806 of method 800includes ablation request instructions (e.g., instructions provided by aprogram) configured to cause the data processing device system (e.g.,data processing device systems 110 or 310) to process an ablationrequest received from the input-output device system, the ablationrequest configured to request ablation by at least some of the pluralityof transducers of the transducer-based device.

In some embodiments, the ablation request associated with block 806 maybe considered part of a selection of one or more graphical elementsaccording to the instructions of block 710 in FIG. 7A in someembodiments. Block 808 represents instructions associated with such aselection according to some embodiments. As discussed above, theselection instructions associated with block 710 may configure the dataprocessing device system to receive a selection, via the input-outputdevice system (e.g., again exemplified by input-output device system 120or 320) of at least some of the graphical elements (e.g., graphicalelements 501, 601) provided in the graphical representation. In someembodiments, the selection instructions associated with block 710 causethe data processing device system to receive, via the input-outputdevice system, a selection of at least some of the graphical elements501 associated with the transducers including activation-readytransducers. Block 808, in some embodiments, includes selectioninstructions (e.g., instructions provided in a program), which configurethe data processing device system (e.g., again exemplified by dataprocessing device systems 110 or 310) to cause selection of variousgraphical elements. In some embodiments, the caused selection includesreceiving, via the input-output device system (e.g., again exemplifiedby input-output device systems 120, 320) a selection of the graphicalelements 501 associated with at least some of the transducers, the atleast some of the transducers including ablation-ready transducers. Insome embodiments, each of the graphical elements 501 associated with theat least some of the transducers is independently selectable. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 5E, first between graphical element 504 apositioned between the first and the second transducer graphicalelements 502 a, 502 b respectively identified by identification labels513 as “Q:6” and “R:6” has been selected via the input-output devicesystem. In this example embodiment, the ablation request instructions ofblock 806 include the instructions of block 808. In this exampleembodiment, the ablation request associated with the instructions ofblock 806 is made at least in part by making a selection of the at leastsome of the graphical elements 501 associated with the instructions ofblock 808.

It is noted that in some embodiments (e.g., embodiments whereablation-ready transducers and not-ablation-ready transducers areselectable in accordance with blocks 806 or 808), the method 800 mayinclude determination instructions (e.g., instructions provided by aprogram) (not shown, but could be shown connected (immediately)downstream of block 806 and (immediately) upstream of block 822)configured to cause the data processing device system to determinewhether an ablation-requested transducer set including the at least someof the plurality of transducers selected in accordance with blocks 806or 808 includes a not-ablation-ready transducer. In this case, themethod 800 may include ablation denial instructions (e.g., instructionsprovided in a program) configured to, if it is determined according tothe determination instructions that the ablation-requested transducerset includes the not-ablation-ready transducer, deny the ablationrequest. In some embodiments, the ablation denial instructions areconfigured to deny the ablation request at least with respect to thenot-ablation-ready transducer in the ablation-requested transducer setif it is determined according to the determination instructions that theablation-requested transducer set includes the not-ablation-readytransducer. In some embodiments, the ablation denial instructions cantake a form of non-activation instructions (e.g., instructions providedby a program) associated with block 822 in FIG. 8, which, in someembodiments, are configured to cause the data processing device systemto prevent energy from the energy source device system from beingdelivered to each of the plurality of not-ablation-ready transducersidentified according to block 804 or block 708. An example of preventingenergy from being delivered would be for the data processing devicesystem to reject all or a portion of an instruction received, forexample, from a user via the input-output device system, to performablation involving not-ablation ready transducers.

Block 812 of method 800 includes instructions (e.g., instructionsprovided in a program) configured to, in response to receivingindependent selections of graphical elements in accordance with block808, cause the input-output device system to change a visualcharacteristic of the selected graphical elements 501 during a timeinterval that occurs during the receiving of the independent selections,after a completion of the receiving of the independent selections, orboth during the receiving of the independent selections and after acompletion of the receiving of the independent selections. In someembodiments, the selected graphical elements 501 include a selectedbetween graphical element 504 a as shown in FIG. 5E. Changing the visualcharacteristic of the selected between graphical element 504 a mayinclude changing a color, opacity, hue, intensity, shading, pattern,shape or the addition or removal of any displayed information suitablefor indicating that the selection has occurred. In this embodiment, theselected between graphical element 504 a is modified to include anelongated graphical portion 530 having differing visual characteristics.In some embodiments, block 812 can include additional instructionsconfigured to cause the input-output device system to change a visualcharacteristic of at least one (e.g., both in this illustratedembodiment) of the first and the second transducer graphical elements502 a, 502 b respectively identified by identification labels 513 as“Q:6” and “R:6” during the time interval. In this example embodiment athicker border is provided around each of the first and the secondtransducer graphical elements 502 a, 502 b upon receiving the selection.

In a similar fashion, a visual characteristics of others of thegraphical elements 501 (e.g., including transducer graphical elements502) may change upon their selection in accordance with the instructionsof block 808. For example, as shown in FIG. 5F additional betweengraphical elements 504 (e.g., including second between graphical 504 b)have been selected in accordance with the instructions of block 808 withthe visual characteristics of the selected additional between graphicalelements 504 changing in accordance with the instructions of block 812.For clarity, only the identification labels 513 associated with thetransducer graphical elements 502 associated with the pair oftransducers associated with each of the selected between graphicalelements 504 is shown in FIGS. 5E and 5F. In this illustratedembodiment, each of the selected between graphical elements 504 in FIGS.5E and 5F were independently selected.

It should be noted that, although the above discussion regardingchanging of visual characteristics occurs within the context of FIG. 8,block 812, such discussion can also apply to any discussions hereinregarding changing of visual characteristics in some embodiments.

Block 814 of method 800 includes instructions (e.g., instructionsprovided in a program) configured to cause the input-output devicesystem to display a respective electrogram 535 (only two called out ineach of FIGS. 5E and 5F) for each transducer of the pair of transducersassociated with each of the selected between graphical elements 504(e.g., selected according to the instructions of block 808 or 710). Inthis example embodiment, each electrogram 535 is identified with anidentifier 536 that provides information corresponding to theidentification label 513 associated with a respective one of thetransducer graphical elements 502. In this example embodiment, eachelectrogram 535 is provided on the basis of transducer data provided bya transducer of the respective pair of transducers associated with aselected between graphical element 504. In this example embodiment, asingle electrogram 535 would also be displayed if a transducer graphicalelement 502 were to be individually selected, the single electrogram 535being provided on the basis of transducer data provided by therespective transducer associated with the selected single transducergraphical element 502. In some example embodiments, block 814 includesinstructions configured to cause the input-output device system todisplay a combined electrogram (e.g., a bipolar electrogram) from thepair of transducers associated with each of the selected betweengraphical elements 504. It is noted that some of the electrograms 535not shown in the graphical representation shown in FIG. 5F may be viewedby operation of scroll bar 528 via the input-output device system. It isalso noted that, although block 814 is shown as immediately following anablation request according to block 806, block 814, in some embodiments,is not dependent upon receipt of an ablation request, and may operateindependently any time a graphical element is selected.

Block 816 of method 800 includes path-display instructions (e.g.,instructions provided in a program) configured to, in response toreceiving the independent selections (e.g., selected according to theinstructions of block 808 or 710) of between graphical elements 504,cause the graphical representation to include a displayed visualrepresentation of a path 537 passing through at least a portion of eachof the selected between graphical elements 504, during a time intervalthat occurs (a) during the receiving of the independent selections, (b)after a completion of the receiving of the independent selections, orboth (a) and (b). In this embodiment, the displayed visualrepresentation of the path extends between at least two of the pluralityof rows 510 and between at least two of the plurality of columns 512. Inthis embodiment, path 537 surrounds a region 525 (e.g., one of theregions 525 c, which may represent a port interrupting a tissue wall ofa bodily cavity). In this example embodiment, path 537 is a contiguouspath. In this example embodiment, path 537 is a closed path. In thisembodiment, the path display instructions of block 816 are furtherconfigured to cause the displayed visual representation of the path 537to pass through at least some of the transducer graphical elements 502associated with the transducers between which the regions of spaceassociated with the selected between graphical elements 504 respectivelyreside. In some example embodiments (e.g., a visual or graphicalrepresentation (e.g., 600 in FIG. 6) provided by a graphical interface(e.g., FIG. 6)), the displayed visual representation of the path 537includes a path segment that proceeds diagonally between a first nodelocated at a first junction of a first one of the plurality of columns(e.g., columns 612) and a first one of the plurality of rows (e.g., rows610) and a second node located at a second junction of a second one ofthe plurality of columns (e.g., columns 612) and a second one of theplurality of rows (e.g., rows 610), the first junction being differentthan the second junction. In this embodiment the path-displayinstructions of block 816 include instructions configured to cause thedisplayed graphical representation to change, during the time interval,a visual characteristic of the selected between graphical element 504 atleast as part of forming the displayed visual representation of the path537 (e.g., via elongated portion 530 in this embodiment). In thisexample embodiment, the path-display instructions of block 816 includeinstructions configured to cause the displayed graphical representationto change, during the time interval, a visual characteristic of at leastsome of the transducer graphical elements 502 associated with thetransducers in the pairs of the transducers between which the regions ofspace associated with the selected between graphical elements 504respectively reside. In some embodiments, the path 537 represents anablation path or proposed or intended ablation path.

Block 810 of method 800 (which could represent a particular subset ofimplementations of block 712 in FIG. 7A in some embodiments) includesactivation instructions (e.g., instructions provided in a program)configured to, in response to receiving the ablation request from theinput-output device system, cause, via the input-output device system,energy from an energy source device system (e.g., energy source devicesystem 340) to be delivered to each of the ablation-ready transducers ofthe at least some of the transducers in which ablation was requested byas per block 806, the activation instructions configured to cause theenergy delivery to occur during the time interval. In this exampleembodiment, a selection of the control button 538 (called out in FIG.5G) identified as “Ablate” in response to a user action via theinput-output device system can cause execution of the activationinstructions. In this example embodiment, the activation instructions ofblock 810 of method 800 include instructions (e.g., instructionsprovided in a program) configured to, in response to receiving theindependent selections of between graphical elements 504 in accordancewith selection instructions included in block 808, cause activation, viathe input-output device system, of each of the pairs of the transducersbetween which the respective regions of space associated with theselected between graphical elements 504 respectively reside, theactivation instructions configured to cause the activation to occurduring the time interval. In this embodiment, the activationinstructions include instructions configured to, in response toreceiving the independent selections of the between graphical elements504 cause energy from the energy source device system (e.g., energysource device system 340) to deliver energy to each of the pairs of thetransducers between which the regions of space associated with theselected between graphical elements 504 respectively reside, theactivation instructions configured to cause the energy delivery to occurduring the time interval. In this example embodiment, the energy istissue-ablation energy and the path 537 is representative of an ablationpath. In some embodiments, the activation instructions includeinstructions configured to, in response to receiving the independentselections of the between graphical elements 504 cause monopolaractivation of the transducers in each of the pairs of the transducersbetween which the regions of space associated with the selected betweengraphical elements 504 respectively reside, the activation instructionsconfigured to cause the monopolar activation to occur during the timeinterval. In some embodiments, the activation instructions includeinstructions configured to, in response to receiving the independentselections of the between graphical elements 504 cause bipolaractivation between the respective transducers in each of the pairs ofthe transducers between which the regions of space associated with theselected between graphical elements 504 respectively reside, theactivation instructions configured to cause the bipolar activation tooccur during the time interval. In this regard, the energy may bedelivered in a manner that (a) a portion of the energy delivered to afirst transducer of each pair of the transducers is transmitted by thefirst transducer, (b) a portion of the energy delivered to a secondtransducer of each pair of the transducers is transmitted by the secondtransducer, or both (a) and (b). In this regard, an indifferentelectrode (e.g., 326) may be arranged to receive a portion of the energydelivered to at least one of the transducers of each of the pairs of thetransducers between which the regions of space associated with theselected between graphical elements 504 respectively reside.

In some embodiments, selection of various graphical elements (e.g.,graphical elements 501, 601) is not required to provide a visualrepresentation of an ablation path (e.g., path 537). For example, FIG. 9is a block diagram showing a method 900 including instructions (e.g.,instructions provided in a program) for displaying a visualrepresentation of an ablation path. Reference to the instructionsprovided by at least some of the blocks associated with method 700 ismade for comparison purposes. Reference to various ones of FIG. 5including transducer graphical elements 502 and between graphicalelements 504 continues to be made for convenience of discussion. In someembodiments, method 900 may include a subset of the associated blocks oradditional blocks than those shown in the FIG. 9. In some embodiments,method 900 may include a different sequence between various ones of theassociated blocks than those shown in FIG. 9.

In a manner similar to block 702, block 902 of method 900 includesinstructions (e.g., graphical representation instructions or graphicalinterface instructions included in a program) configured to cause aninput-output device system (e.g., input-output device system 120 or 320)to display a graphical representation of at least a portion of atransducer-based device (e.g., transducer-based devices 200, 300, or400). FIG. 5A illustrates a graphical interface provided by theinput-output device system according to one example embodiment providedin accordance with block 902. The graphical interface of FIG. 5Aincludes a graphical representation 500 that includes a plurality oftransducer graphical elements 502 and a plurality of between graphicalelements 504, each characterized as per above. In a manner similar toblock 704, block 904 of method 900 includes instructions (e.g., inputinstructions included in a program) that cause the data processingdevice system (e.g., data processing device systems 110 or 310) toreceive transducer data from at least some of the transducers via theinput-output device system.

In a manner similar to block 706, block 906 of method 900 includesinstructions (e.g., identification instructions included in a program)that are configured to identify a region of the graphical representationthat corresponds to at least a portion of one or more anatomicalfeatures based at least on the transducer data. In this exampleembodiment, a plurality of identified regions 525 is shown in thethree-dimensional graphical representation provided by the graphicalrepresentation 500 of FIG. 5C and the two-dimensional graphicalrepresentation provided by the graphical representation 500 of FIG. 5D,each of the identified regions corresponding to a particular anatomicalfeature as previously discussed (e.g., ports related to variouspulmonary veins, left lateral appendage and mitral valve).

Block 908 of method 900 includes selection instructions (e.g.,instructions provided in a program) configured to cause the dataprocessing device system (e.g., data processing device systems 110 or310) to receive a selection from the input-output device system of atleast one of the identified regions 525. Block 910 of method 900includes path-display instructions (e.g., instructions provided in aprogram) configured to, in response to receiving the selection of the atleast one of the identified regions, causes the displayed graphicalrepresentation to include a displayed visual representation of anablation path configured for the anatomical feature.

Referring to FIG. 5D, a region 525 (e.g., region 525 c) corresponding toa pulmonary vein of the left pulmonary vein group has been selected viathe input-output device system. Again, various input-output devicesystem components including a touch screen, keyboard or computer mousemay be employed to make the selection by way of non-limiting example. Apath 537 defining an ablation path around the selected region 525 c isautomatically generated in response to the selection of region 525 c inaccordance with the path display instructions of block 910.

Unlike the embodiment of FIG. 8, where an ablation path is defined by auser, the ablation path associated with the embodiment of FIG. 9 isdefined by the data-processing device system. This can be accomplishedin various ways. In this example embodiment, transducer data from thetransducer-based device is used to help define each of the particularregions 525 as well as additional regions other than the regions 525that can accommodate an ablation path configured for the anatomicalfeature corresponding to a selected region. In this example embodiment,the visual representation of the ablation path (e.g., represented bypath 537) passes at least proximate to each of at least some thetransducer graphical elements 502 associated with the transducersassociated with the particular ones of the additional regions positionedat least proximate region 525 c. In some example embodiments, the visualrepresentation of the ablation path passes at least proximate to each ofat least some of the between graphical elements 504 (e.g., through thebetween graphical elements 504 in this embodiment) associated with pairsof the transducers associated with the particular ones of the additionalregions positioned at least proximate region 525 c. In some exampleembodiments, at least some of the transducers are deemed anatomicalfeature-specific transducers (e.g., transducers associated with aparticular one of the anatomical features) based at least on thetransducer data while others of the transducers are deemednot-anatomical feature-specific transducers (e.g., transducers notassociated with a particular one of the anatomical features) based atleast on the transducer data. In various example embodiments, method 900includes instructions (not shown) (e.g., instructions provided in aprogram) configured to cause the data processing device system todetermine the ablation path based at least on a determination of aproximity of various ones of the not-anatomical feature-specifictransducers to various ones of the anatomical feature-specific featuresassociated with an anatomical feature corresponding to selected region525. In some of these various example embodiments, the path-displayinstructions of block 910 includes instructions configured to, inresponse to receiving the selection of the at least one of theidentified regions, cause the displayed graphical representation toinclude the displayed visual representation of an ablation pathconfigured for the anatomical feature based at least on (a) anidentification of the transducer graphical elements 502 associated withthe various ones of the not-anatomical feature-specific transducers, (b)an identification of the between graphical elements 504 associated withpairs of the various ones of the not-anatomical feature-specifictransducers, or both (a) and (b).

In this example embodiment, the path-display instructions are configuredto, in response to receiving the selection of the identified region 525c, cause the displayed visual representation of the ablation path tosurround the identified region 525 c. In this example embodiment, thepath-display instructions are configured to, in response to receivingthe selection of the identified region 525 c, cause the displayed visualrepresentation of the ablation path to continuously surround theidentified region 525 c. In some example embodiments, the respectiveablation paths associated with different ones of at least two selectedones of the identified regions 525 may have different configurations(e.g., shape, continuity). In some example embodiments, the transducerdata includes data associated with an electrical characteristic (e.g.,impedance) of tissue within a bodily cavity in which the transducerbased-device or a portion thereof is receivable or positionable. In someexample embodiments, the transducer data includes data associated with aflow characteristic of fluid within a bodily cavity in which thetransducer-based device or a portion thereof is receivable orpositionable.

In this example embodiment, block 912 of method 900 includesinstructions (e.g., instructions provided in a program) configured to,in response to receiving the selection of the identified region 525,cause the input-output device system to vary a visual characteristic ofeach of at least some of the graphical elements 501. In this exampleembodiment, a visual characteristic of each of at least some of thetransducer graphical elements 502 and each of at least some of thebetween graphical elements 504 is changed.

In this example embodiment, block 914 of method 900 includespath-acceptance instructions (e.g., instructions provided in a program)configured to cause the data processing device system to receive anacceptance of the visual representation of the ablation path based atleast on a user response via the input-output device system.

In this example embodiment, block 916 of method 900 includes activationinstructions (e.g., instructions provided in a program) configured to,in response to receiving the acceptance, cause, via the input-outputdevice system, energy from an energy source device system (e.g., energysource device system 340) to be delivered to each of the transducersassociated with the at least some of the plurality of transducergraphical elements 502, the energy sufficient for ablating tissue.Ablation can include monopolar ablation, or bipolar ablation orcombinations thereof.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the blocks 806 and 810 of a version ofmethod 800 according to some example embodiments. In some embodiments,the ablation request instructions of block 806 include instructions(e.g., reception instructions provided in a program) as per block 807configured to receive a selection from the input-output device system ofa group of transducer sets, each of the sets of the group of thetransducer sets including at least one of the transducers of thetransducer-based device (e.g., transducer-based devices 200, 300, or400). In these embodiments, each of the transducer sets is selectedaccording to a first sequence. In some embodiments, at least part of theselection according to block 807 occurs by a selection of graphicalelements, such that the instructions of block 808 are configured tocause the data processing device system (e.g., again exemplified by dataprocessing device systems 110 or 310) to receive, via the input-outputdevice system (e.g., again exemplified by input-output device systems120, 320) a selection of at least some of the graphical elements 501associated with some or all of the plurality of transducer setsdiscussed above with respect to block 807. In some example embodiments,each of the transducer graphical elements 502 associated with theplurality of transducer sets is selected according to the firstsequence. For example, as shown in FIG. 5F, the transducer graphicalelements 502 associated with path 537 may be selected in a sequentialfashion in the following order (e.g., each selected transducer graphicalelement 502 indicated by the corresponding identification labels 513:“R:6”, “Q:6”, “P:6” “P:7”, “O:7” “O:8”, “O:9”, “P:9”, “P:10” “Q:10”“R:10” “R:9”, “S:9”, “S:8”, “S:7”, and “R:7” to select the plurality oftransducer sets according to the first sequence. In such embodiments,each transducer set may be considered to have a single transducer. Also,as shown in FIG. 5F, the between graphical elements 504 associated withpath 537 may be selected in a sequential fashion in the following order(e.g., each selected between graphical element 504 herein identified bythe corresponding pair of identification labels 513 associated with thetransducer graphical elements 502 in which the selected betweengraphical element 504 is positioned between): “R:6-Q:6”, “Q:6-P:6”,“P:6-P:7”, “P:7-O:7”, “O:7-O:8”, “O:8-O:9”, “O:9-P:9”, “P:9-P:10”,“P:10-Q:10”, “Q:10-R:10”, “R:10-R:9”, “R:9-S:9”, “S:9-S:8”, “S:8-S:7”,“S:7-R:7” and “R:7-R:6” to select the plurality of transducer setsaccording to the first sequence. In such embodiments, each transducerset may be considered to have at least two transducers. In thisembodiment, each of the selected between graphical elements 504 isassociated with a region of space between a pair of transducers thatinclude the respective first and second transducers which make up arespective set of group of transducer sets. It is noted that the firstsequence can take other forms in other embodiments. For example, thetransducer sets may be selected randomly or pseudo-randomly according tothe first sequence. In other embodiments, the first sequence may notrequire successively adjacent transducers in a distribution of thetransducers to be selected as described above.

In various embodiments, each of the transducer sets in the firstsequence form part of a group of the transducer sets. In variousembodiments, various transducer sets in a group of transducer sets areselected according to a first sequence (e.g., the first sequencedescribed above with regard to block 807) with at least two of thetransducer sets in the group sequentially selected. In accordance withthe discussion above, in at least some of these various embodiments,each of at least some of the selected transducer sets in the groupincludes at least one transducer different than each of the othertransducer sets in the group. In at least some of these variousembodiments, each of at least some of the transducer sets in the groupincludes at least two transducers. In at least some of these variousembodiments, each of at least some of the transducer sets in the groupincludes a respective pair of adjacent ones of the transducers in adistribution of the transducers. The respective pair of adjacent ones ofthe transducers of each of the at least some of the transducer sets inthe group may have a same transducer as the respective pair of adjacentones of the transducers of another of the at least some of the of thetransducer sets in the group. In some of these various embodiments, atleast a first transducer set in the group has a same transducer as asecond transducer set in the group. In at least some of these variousembodiments, two or more of the transducers in a given one of thetransducer sets may be selected concurrently (e.g., a pair oftransducers selected by a selection of a between graphical element 504,604 as described above). In at least some of these various embodiments,two or more of the transducer sets in the group may also be selectedconcurrently in the first sequence. In at least some of these variousembodiments, an additional transducer set may be selected concurrentlywith one of the at least two of the transducer sets sequentiallyselected according to the first sequence. Transducer sets in the groupthat include different numbers of transducers or different transducersmay be selected according to the first sequence. For example, the firstsequence may indicate at least (a) a selection (e.g., by a selection ofa transducer graphical element 502, 602) of a first transducer in afirst transducer set in the group followed by a selection (e.g., by aselection of a between graphical element 504, 604) of a pair of secondand third transducers in a second transducer set in the group, (b) aselection (e.g., by a selection of a between graphical element 504, 604)of a pair of fourth and fifth transducers in a third transducer set inthe group followed by a selection (e.g., by a selection of a transducergraphical element 502, 602) of a sixth transducer in a fourth transducerset in the group, or both (a) and (b).

In some embodiments, the activation instructions of block 810 of method800 includes activation instructions as per block 811 (e.g.,instructions provided in a program) configured to cause sequentialactivation, initiated during or after completion of a generation of asecond sequence of transducer sets (discussed below), of the transducersets in the second sequence of transducer sets. The activation of thetransducer sets in the second sequence occurs according to the secondsequence, and the activation instructions are configured to causeactivation of at least one transducer in each of the sequentiallyactivated sets. In one particular embodiment, the activation ofinstructions of block 811 are configured to cause activation of thetransducer sets of a group of transducer sets according to a secondsequence different than the first sequence in which the transducer setsof the group of transducers sets were selected.

The second sequence may be determined in various manners. For example,in some embodiments, method 800 may include a block 809 (e.g., shown inFIG. 10, not shown in FIG. 8) that includes generation instructions(e.g., instructions provided in a program) configured to, in response toreceiving at least part of the first sequence, cause a generation (e.g.,via a data processing device system such as data processing devicesystems 110 or 310) of the second sequence of transducer sets based atleast on an analysis of the transducer sets in a group that thetransducer sets in the first sequence form part of. Accordingly, in someembodiments, the selection of the transducer sets according to the firstsequence may include user-based selections, and the generation of thesecond sequence may be machine-performed (e.g., via a data processingdevice system such as data processing device systems 110 or 310)involving machine-based selections. The generation of the secondsequence can be initiated in response to receiving part of the firstsequence, such that generation of the second sequence is initiatedduring the receiving of the first sequence. Or, the generation of thesecond sequence can be initiated after receiving the entirety of thefirst sequence. Some examples of the analysis of the transducer sets inthe group, upon which the generation of the second sequence oftransducer sets can be based, are described below with respect to atleast FIGS. 11-16 and any other embodiment in which atransducer-activation sequence is generated based at least on ananalysis of transducer sets or data associated with transducer setsidentified in a transducer-selection sequence and, consequently, thetransducer-activation sequence might be different than thetransducer-selection sequence (although the invention is not limited tothese examples). In some embodiments, the transducer sets in the secondsequence include all or only the transducers in the group of transducerssets selected in accordance with the first sequence.

In various embodiments, ablation request instructions (e.g.,instructions provided by block 806) include reception instructions(e.g., provided in a program) (not shown in the Figures) configured toreceive a selection of a path (e.g., path 537 in FIG. 5F) along whichtissue of a bodily cavity (e.g., an intra-cardiac cavity) is to beablated by various transducers. The selection may include an indicationof a first order of transducer sets along the path, each of transducersets in the first order including at least one transducer (e.g.,identified by transducer graphical elements 502: “R:6”, “Q:6”, “P:6”,“P:7”, “O:7”, “O:8”, “O:9”, “P:9”, “P:10”, “Q:10”, “R:10”, “R:9”, “S:9”,“S:8”, “S:7”, and “R:7” in FIG. 5F). In at least some of these variousembodiments, at least some of the transducer sets in the first orderinclude two or more transducers (e.g., pairs of transducers associatedwith between graphical elements 504: “R:6-Q:6”, “Q:6-P:6”, “P:6-P:7”,“P:7-O:7”, “O:7-O:8”, “O:8-O:9”, “O:9-P:9”, “P:9-P:10”, “P:10-Q:10”,“Q:10-R:10”, “R:10-R:9”, “R:9-S:9”, “S:9-S:8”, “S:8-S:7”, “S:7-R:7” and“R:7-R:6” in FIG. 5F). In at least some of these various embodiments, atleast some of the transducer sets in the first order include arespective pair of adjacent transducers in a distribution of thetransducers. Several respective pairs of adjacent transducers mayinclude a same transducer in the distribution (e.g., pairs oftransducers associated with between graphical elements 504: “S:9-S:8”,“S:8-S:7”). In at least some of these various embodiments, at least someof the transducer sets in the first order include at least one differenttransducer than each of the other transducer sets in the first order. Inat least some of these various embodiments, two or more of thetransducer sets in the first order are sequentially selected. Sequentialselection of the two or more of the transducer sets in the first ordermay occur in various ways including those previously described in thisdetailed description by way of non-limiting example. In at least some ofthese various embodiments, an additional transducer set may be selectedconcurrently with one of the two or more sequentially selectedtransducer sets. In at least some of these various embodiments, two ormore of the transducer sets in the first order may be concurrentlyselected. For example, in some embodiments associated with method 900,all of the transducer sets associated with a particular ablation pathmay be concurrently selected by an acceptance of the visualrepresentation of the path based at least on a user response via aninput-output device system in accordance with the instructions of block914.

Generation instructions (not shown in the Figures, but similar to thegeneration instructions associated with block 809) may be configured to,in response to receiving at least part of the selection of the ablationpath (e.g., path 537), cause generation of a second order of transducersets different than the first order based at least on an analysis of thetransducer sets in the first order. In this regard, the generation ofthe second order can be initiated in response to receiving part of theselection of the ablation path, such that it is initiated during thereceiving of the selection of the ablation path. Or, the generation ofthe second order can be initiated after receiving the entirety of theselection of the ablation path. Like the above-discussion with respectto block 809, FIGS. 11-16 and other embodiments provide some examples ofthe analysis of the transducer sets in the first order, upon which thegeneration of the second order of transducer sets can be based (althoughthe invention is not limited to these examples). The transducer sets inthe second order may include all the transducers in the first order. Insome embodiments, the transducer sets in the second order maycollectively only include transducers in the first order. Activationinstructions (not shown in the Figures, but similar to the activationinstructions associated with block 811) can be provided, which areconfigured to cause ablation, initiated during or after completion ofthe generation of the second order according to generation instructions,of the selected ablation path at least by ablation-activatingtransducers in the second order according to the second order with atleast two of the ablation-activating transducers in the second orderactivated sequentially. In some embodiments, the ablation-activatingtransducers in the second order do not include any transducers notpresent in the second order. In some embodiments, theablation-activating transducers in the second order include all or onlythe transducers in the first order.

In regard to the analysis that might lead to the above-discussedgeneration of the second sequence or second order based on an analysisof transducer sets in the respective first sequence and first order,situations may arise that make it undesirable to activate varioustransducer sets in a group concurrently, and at least two of thetransducer sets in the group may, therefore, need to be activatedsequentially or a delay between the activation of at least two of thetransducer sets in the group may be required. Consequently, if the firstsequence or first order includes these various transducer sets in thegroup, the second sequence or second order could be generated accordingto some embodiments to indicate an activation sequence or order thatdoes not activate such various transducer sets in the groupconcurrently.

For example, FIG. 11 is a graph 1000 that compares (a) a temperatureprofile 1010 associated with concurrent activation of five transducers1006 a, 1006 b, 1006 c, 1006 d and 1006 e (collectively transducers1006), (b) a temperature profile 1020 associated with concurrentactivation of two pairs of adjacent transducers 1006 (e.g., a pair oftransducers 1006 a, 1006 b and a pair of transducers 1006 d, 1006 e),the two pairs of adjacent transducers separated by a non-activatedtransducer (e.g., transducer 1006 c), and (c) activation of a singlepair of transducers (e.g., a pair of transducers 1006 d, 1006 e). Eachtemperature profile was generated using data generated by Multiphysics®4.1, Version 4.1.0.88 software provided by Comsol Inc. Each of thetemperature profiles 1010, 1020 and 1030 is associated with a fourmillimeter tissue ablation depth. Various activated pairs of adjacenttransducers are modeled with bipolar activation conditions. Temperatureprofile 1020 indicates that leaving at least one transducer betweenconcurrent bipolar activation of the two transducer pairs results in atemperature profile having a maximum temperature similar to a maximumtemperature provided by bipolar activation of the single transducer pairassociated with temperature profile 1030. This contrasts with the muchhigher maximum temperature with the concurrent activation of the fiveelectrodes 1006. Graph 1000 implies that ablation temperatures arehigher in the absence of “at least a one-transducer gap” between twoconcurrently bipolar activated pairs of the transducers, whereas withthe presence of the at least one transducer gap, the maximum temperatureof each of the two concurrently bipolar activated transducer pairs issubstantially similar to the maximum temperature associated with thebipolar activation of a single transducer pair. Graph 1000 implies that“at least a one-transducer gap” separating the concurrently bipolaractivated transducer pairs allows each of the separated transducer pairsto be treated relatively independently of one another. This independencemay advantageously lead to more consistent and uniform ablated regionsbeing associated with each of the separated transducer pairs. Thisindependence may advantageously lead to the use of more uniformoperating parameters for each of the separated transducer pairs.

It should be noted that the reference to the “at least one-transducergap”, above, may be a function of the distance between transducers.Accordingly, FIG. 11 can be viewed from the standpoint that a sufficientdistance between transducer sets (e.g., pairs of transducers) may berequired in order to concurrently activate transducer sets within thisdistance. If this sufficient distance is not met between two transducersets indicated in the first sequence or first order discussed above, thesecond sequence or second order could be generated according to someembodiments to ensure that these two transducers sets are notconcurrently activated.

It should also be noted that the “at least one-transducer gap”, above,need not only be applied to the context where a first sequence or firstorder of transducer sets is selected, and can apply anytime atransducer-set-activation schedule is generated from a pool oftransducer sets.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a method 1100 including instructionsprovided by various blocks (e.g., instructions provided in a program)for selecting and activating transducers in a transducer-based devicesuch as transducer-based device 300 according to an example embodiment.In some embodiments, method 1100 may include a subset of the associatedblocks or additional blocks than those shown in FIG. 12.

Block 1102 includes selection instructions configured to cause areception from an input-output device system (e.g., input-output devicesystem 120 or 320) of a selection of at least some of a plurality ofpairs of adjacent ones of the transducers arranged in a distribution bya transducer-based device (e.g., transducers 306 shown in FIG. 3B).Reference is herein made to the transducers 306 for convenience and itis understood that other transducer-based devices employing othertransducers may be employed in other embodiments employing aspects ofmethod 1200.

In one example embodiment, a first pair of the transducers 306 and asecond pair of the transducers 306 is selected. This selection could beaccording to the above-discussed first sequence or first order, in someembodiments. Block 1104 includes activation instructions configured tocause activation of the selected at least some of the plurality ofadjacent ones of the transducers 306 in the distribution, subject todelay instructions configured to cause a delay in the activation of thefirst pair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 in the distributionwith respect to a starting of the activation of the second pair ofadjacent ones of the transducers 306 in the distribution in response toa circumstance where a respective transducer in each of the first andthe second pairs of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 forms part of athird pair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 in the distribution.

For example, in FIG. 3B, transducer-based device 300 includestransducers 306 d, 306 e, 306 f, 306 g and 306 h located on a sameelongate member 304 and arranged along a path extending between theproximal and distal ends (307, 305, not called out in FIG. 3B) of theelongate member 304. If the first pair of adjacent transducers 306selected includes transducers 306 d and 306 e and the second pair ofadjacent transducers 306 includes transducers 306 f and 306 g, thenactivation of transducers 306 d, 306 e forming the first pair ofadjacent transducers 306 could be delayed with respect to a starting ofthe activation of transducers 306 f, 306 g forming the second pair ofadjacent transducers 306 since, in accordance with the instructions ofblock 1104, a respective transducer in the first pair of adjacenttransducers 306 (e.g., transducer 306 e) and a respective transducer inthe second pair of transducers 306 (e.g., transducer 3060 forms part ofa third pair of adjacent ones of transducers 306 in the distribution. Ifthe second pair of adjacent transducers 306, instead, includestransducers 306 g and 306 h, then activation of transducers 306 d, 306 eforming the first pair of adjacent transducers 306 would not be delayed,according to these embodiments, with respect to a starting of theactivation of transducers 306 g, 306 h forming the second pair ofadjacent transducers 306, because no respective transducer in each ofthe first pair of adjacent transducers 306 and the second pair ofadjacent transducers 306 forms part of third pair of adjacent ones oftransducers 306 in the distribution.

In various embodiments, activation in accordance with method 1100 canensure the above-discussed “at least one-transducer gap” and, therefore,may allow each of the selected transducer pairs to be treatedindependently of one another in ablation activation embodiments and maylead to more consistent and uniform ablated regions or the use of moreuniform operating parameters as discussed above. In addition, in someembodiments, an activation sequence or order, which may be theabove-discussed second sequence or second order, respectively, may begenerated based on an analysis of transducer sets in an initialtransducer-selection sequence or order, which may be the above-discussedfirst sequence or first order, respectively, according to the delayinstructions associated with block 1104. For example, in someembodiments, a user might initially select a sequence of the followingfour transducers sets, each set including a single transducer: 306 d,306 e, 306 f, and 306 g (e.g., FIG. 3B), where transducers 306 d and 306e may, in some embodiments, be considered a selected pair pursuant toblock 1102 in FIG. 12, and transducers 306 f and 306 g may be consideredanother selected pair pursuant to block 1102. In this example, agenerated activation sequence might indicate a transducer set oftransducers 306 f-306 g, followed by a transducer set of transducers 306d-306 e, where both of transducers 306 f and 306 g are to be activatedconcurrently, and both of transducers 306 d-306 e are to be activatedconcurrently in a delayed manner with respect to the concurrentactivation of transducers 306 f and 306 g, pursuant to block 1104.

In some embodiments, each of the transducers 306 in the first pair ofadjacent ones of the transducers 306 according to block 1104 isdifferent than each of the transducers 306 in the second pair ofadjacent ones of the transducers 306 according to block 1104. In someembodiments, each of the first and the second pairs of adjacent ones ofthe transducers 306 share a same transducer 306. For example, the firstpair might include transducers 602 b and 602 c in FIG. 6, while thesecond pair might include transducers 602 b and 602 a, and the thirdpair might include transducers 602 c and 602 a.

It is noted that in various embodiments, method 1100 may be employed notonly with pairs of adjacent ones of the transducers located on a sameelongate member 304 but may be employed with transducer pairs located ondifferent elongate members 304. For example, if the selected first pairof adjacent transducers 306 includes transducers 306 d and 306 i, andthe selected second pair of adjacent transducers 306 includestransducers 306 j and 306 k, then activation of transducers 306 d, 306 iforming the first pair of adjacent transducers 306 may be delayed withrespect to a starting of the activation of transducers 306 j, 306 kforming the second pair of adjacent transducers 306 since, in accordancewith the instructions of block 1104, a respective transducer in thefirst pair of adjacent transducers 306 (e.g., transducer 306 i) and arespective transducer in the second pair of adjacent transducers 306(e.g., transducer 306 j) forms part of a third pair of adjacent ones oftransducers 306 in the distribution. In some embodiments, diagonallyarranged pairs of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 are alsoconsidered in method 1100. In some embodiments, the transducers 306 ofthe selected first pair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 in thedistribution are located on a first elongate member 304 and thetransducers 306 of the selected second pair of adjacent ones of thetransducers 306 in the distribution are located on a second elongatemember 304, the second elongate member 304 different than the firstelongate member 304. In some embodiments, a region of space associatedwith a physical part of the transducer-based device 300 is between thetransducers 306 of (a) the selected first pair of adjacent ones of thetransducers 306 in the distribution, (b) the selected second pair ofadjacent ones of the transducers 306 in the distribution, or (c) each of(a) and (b), and a region of space not associated with any physical partof the transducer-based device 300 is between the transducers 306 of thethird pair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 in the distribution.

In some embodiments, the delay instructions of block 1104 includeinstructions configured to cause a delay of the activation of the firstpair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 in the distribution untilafter completion of the activation of the second pair of adjacent onesof the transducers 306 in the distribution. In some embodiments, thethird pair of transducers 306 may form part of the selected pairs ofadjacent transducers 306. For example, each of the first, the second,and the third pairs of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 may beselected by a selection of a respective between graphical element (e.g.,between graphical element 504, 604) associated with each pair. In someembodiments, method 1100 may include instructions (not shown) configuredto cause a delay of the activation of a selected third pair of adjacentones of the transducers 306 in the distribution with respect to astarting of the activation of each of the selected first pair and theselected second pair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 in thedistribution in response to the circumstance where a respectivetransducer 306 in each of the selected first and the second pairs ofadjacent ones of transducers 306 in the distribution forms part of theselected third pair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 in thedistribution. In various embodiments, method 1100 includes instructions(not shown) configured to cause the starting of the activation of theselected third pair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 in thedistribution after completion of the activation of each of the selectedfirst and the selected second pair of adjacent ones of the transducers306 in the distribution.

In some embodiments, the delay instructions of block 1104 are configuredto cause a delay of the starting of the activation of the first pair ofadjacent ones of the transducers 306 in the distribution until afterexpiry of a time interval, the time interval commencing after completionof the activation of the second pair of adjacent ones of the transducers306 in the distribution. The use of a time interval may be motivated fordifferent reasons. For example, the time interval may provide a cooldown time period to further promote more uniform ablation regioncharacteristics. In some embodiments, the third pair of adjacent ones ofthe transducers 306 in the distribution is not selected in accordancewith the instructions of block 1102. In some embodiments, apredetermined delay is employed by the delay instructions of block 1104.

In various embodiments, the activation instructions of block 1104 causeenergy from an energy source device system (e.g. energy source devicesystem 340) to be delivered to each of at least some of the selectedpairs of adjacent ones of the transducers in the distribution. In someof these various embodiments, the delivered energy is sufficient fortissue ablation. In some of these various embodiments, the input-outputdevice system includes a sensing device system (e.g., sensing devicesystem 325) configured to detect at least one tissue characteristic(e.g., tissue impedance) at respective locations at least proximate eachof the selected pairs of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 in thedistribution with the energy delivered to each of at least some of theselected pairs of adjacent ones of transducers 306 in the distribution(e.g., in some embodiments, tissue impedance may be measured betweentransducers on the structure 308 or between a transducer on thestructure 308 and the indifferent electrode 326). The activationinstructions of block 1104 may include instructions (not shown)configured to cause bipolar activation of at least the selected firstpair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 in the distribution and theselected second pair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 in thedistribution. The activation instructions of block 1104 may includeinstructions (not shown) configured to cause monopolar activation of atleast the selected first pair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 inthe distribution and the selected second pair of adjacent ones of thetransducers 306 in the distribution.

In various embodiments, the activation instructions of block 1104include instructions (not shown) configured to cause activation of atleast the selected first pair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 inthe distribution for a first time interval and cause activation of atleast the second pair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 in thedistribution for a second time interval, a duration of the second timeinterval being different than a duration of the first time interval. Insome of these various embodiments, the first time interval, the secondtime interval, or each of the first and the second time interval is apredetermined time interval. Example reasons for having these differentactivation time intervals are discussed below with respect to FIG. 14.Also, each of the transducers 306 in the distribution can be spacedapart from each of the other transducers 306 in the distribution,according to some embodiments.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a method 1200 including instructionsprovided by various blocks (e.g., instructions provided in a program)for selecting and activating transducers in a transducer-based devicesuch as transducer-based device 300 according to some embodiments. Block1202 includes selection instructions configured to cause a receptionfrom an input-output device system (e.g., input-output device system 120or 320) of at least some of a plurality of transducers arranged in adistribution by a transducer-based device (e.g., transducers 306 shownin FIG. 3B), the selected transducers including pairs of adjacenttransducers including at least a first pair of adjacent ones oftransducers arranged in the distribution and a second pair of adjacentones of the transducers arranged in the distribution. This selectioncould be according to the above-discussed first sequence or first order,in some embodiments. In some embodiments, method 1200 may include asubset of the associated blocks or additional blocks than those shown inFIG. 13. Reference is herein made to the transducers 306 for convenienceand it is understood that other transducer-based devices having othertransducers may be associated with other embodiments employing aspectsof method 1200. Block 1206 includes activation instructions configuredto cause activation of the selected pairs of adjacent transducers 306 inthe distribution. In various embodiments, the instructions of block 1206can include one or both of the two sets of instructions respectivelyassociated with blocks 1206A and 1206B, each of which can be employed inresponse to a particular circumstance.

Block 1206A includes instructions configured to cause the activation ofthe first pair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 in thedistribution to start after completion of the activation of the secondpair of the adjacent ones of the transducers 306 in the distribution inresponse to a circumstance where the first pair and the second pair ofadjacent ones of the transducers 306 in the distribution share a sametransducer 306. Block 1206B includes instructions configured to cause atleast part of the activation of the first pair of adjacent ones of thetransducers 306 in the distribution to occur concurrently with at leastpart of the activation of the second pair of adjacent ones of thetransducers 306 in the distribution in response to a circumstance wherethe first and the second pair of adjacent ones of the transducers 306 inthe distribution do not share a same transducer 306. For example, if theselected first pair of adjacent transducers 306 includes transducers 306d and 306 e and the selected second pair of adjacent transducers 306includes transducers 306 e and 306 f, each of the selected first and thesecond pairs of adjacent transducers shares a same transducer 306 e andthe activation of the first pair of adjacent transducers 306 may occurafter the completion of the activation of the second pair of adjacenttransducers 306 in accordance with the instructions of block 1206A. Ifthe selected first pair of adjacent transducers 306 includes transducers306 d and 306 e and the selected second pair of adjacent transducers 306includes transducers 306 g and 306 h, each of the first and the secondpairs of adjacent transducers does not share a same transducer 306 andat least part of the activation of the first pair of adjacenttransducers 306 may occur concurrently with at least part of theactivation of the second pair of adjacent transducers 306 in accordancewith the instructions of block 1206B. Ablation activation embodimentscarried out in accordance with the instructions of method 1200 may allowfor more uniform ablation characteristics.

In some embodiments, an activation sequence or order, which may be theabove-discussed second sequence or second order, respectively, may begenerated based on an analysis of transducer sets in an initialtransducer-selection sequence or order, which may be the above-discussedfirst sequence or first order, respectively, can occur according to theinstructions of block 1206A, block 1206B, or both blocks 1206A and1206B.

In some embodiments, aspects of method 1200 may be combined with aspectsof method 1100. For example, the activation instructions of block 1206may further include instructions (not shown) configured to cause theactivation of the selected first pair of adjacent transducers 306 tostart after a completion of the activation of the selected second pairof adjacent transducers 306 in response to a circumstance where arespective transducer 306 in each of the selected first and the secondpairs of adjacent transducers 306 forms part of another pair of adjacentones of the transducers 306 in the distribution.

In some embodiments, the activation instructions of block 1206 includeinstructions (not shown) configured to cause activation of at least theselected first pair of the adjacent transducers 306 for a first timeinterval and cause activation of at least the selected second pair ofadjacent transducers for a second time interval, a duration of thesecond time interval being different than a duration of the first timeinterval. Activation of selected pairs of adjacent transducers 306 mayinclude an activation resulting in tissue ablation, an activationresulting in the determination of a tissue characteristic (e.g., tissueimpedance), or other forms of activation. Activation of the selectedpairs of adjacent transducers 306 may include bipolar activation ormonopolar activation or combinations thereof. Selection of the pairs ofadjacent transducers 306 may be accomplished by the selection of variousgraphical elements as previously described in this detailed description.

As discussed above, in some embodiments, generation of theabove-discussed second sequence or second order in accordance with thegeneration instructions of block 809 may be based at least in part onvarious aspects of FIGS. 11-16 and any other embodiment in which atransducer-activation sequence is generated that might be different thana transducer-selection sequence (although the invention is not limitedto these examples).

In some embodiments, generation of a second sequence of transducer setsor a second order of transducer sets in accordance with the generationinstructions of block 809 may be based at least on the analysis thatreduces an overall activation time of various transducer sets in aselected group. An analysis of the transducers sets in a selected groupto determine the second sequence may take various factors into accountespecially when a reduction in, or the optimization of, the overallactivation time of various ones or all of the transducer sets in thegroup is desired. For example, in some embodiments that employrelatively large numbers of transducers (e.g., a hundred or moretransducers), economic constraints may prevent having a one-to-onecorrespondence between a respective one of a plurality of energy sourcedevices (e.g., power source drivers) and a respective one of theplurality of transducers. Generation of a second sequence or secondorder in accordance with the generation instructions of block 809 may bebased at least on an analysis of a connection arrangement between eachof at least some of the transducer sets in the group and the pluralityof energy source devices. For example, generation of a second sequenceor second order in accordance with the generation instructions of block809 may be based at least on an analysis of availability of a particularone of the plurality of energy sources during a desired activation of anassociated one of the transducer sets.

Other factors may include differing activation time intervals. Differentactivation time intervals may be associated with different transducersets for various reasons. As described above, in some embodiments,activation of a first transducer set may occur after a completion of theactivation of a second transducer set. In some embodiments, an employedmemory device system (e.g., memory device systems 130, 330) may storeinformation associated with a respective activation time interval foreach of at least two of the selected transducer sets, the respectiveactivation time intervals having different durations. The analysis mayinclude an analysis of each of the respective activation time intervalsor other factors associated with these time intervals.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a method 1300 including instructionsprovided by various blocks (e.g., instructions provided in a program)for selecting and activating transducers in a transducer-based deviceaccording to some embodiments. In some embodiments, method 1300 mayinclude a subset of the associated blocks or additional blocks thanthose shown in FIG. 14. In some embodiments, method 1300 may include adifferent sequence between various ones of the associated blocks thanthose shown in FIG. 14.

Block 1302 includes reception instructions configured to cause areception from an input-output device system (e.g., input-output devicesystem 120 or 320) of a selection of a group of pairs of adjacenttransducers arranged in a distribution by a transducer-based device(e.g., transducer-based device 300 shown in FIG. 3B). This selectioncould be according to the above-discussed first sequence or first order,in some embodiments. Reference is herein made to the transducers 306 forconvenience for describing various embodiments and it is understood thatother transducer-based devices having other transducers may beassociated with other embodiments employing aspects of method 1300. Invarious embodiments, the selected group of pairs of adjacent ones of thetransducers 306 includes at least a first pair of adjacent ones of thetransducers 306 in the distribution and a second pair of adjacent onesof the transducers 306 in the distribution.

In this example embodiment, block 1306 includes activation instructions,which in this example embodiment, are configured to cause energy from anenergy source device system (e.g., energy source device system 340) tobe delivered to the transducers 306 of various ones of the selectedpairs of adjacent transducers 306 in the distribution. In thisembodiment, the instructions of block 1306 include instructionsassociated with blocks 1306A and 1306B. Block 1306A includes firstdelivery instructions configured to cause a first delivery of energy tobe provided by the energy source device system to each of thetransducers 306 of the first pair of the adjacent ones of thetransducers 306 in the distribution, the first delivery of energyconfigured to occur over a first interval (a) during the reception ofthe selection of the group of pairs of adjacent transducers 306, (b)after a completion of the reception of the selection of the group ofpairs of adjacent transducers 306, or both (a) and (b) to form at leasta first lesion in a first region of a tissue wall. In other words, insome embodiments, the energy provided to each of the transducers of thefirst pair of adjacent ones of the transducers is sufficient for formingat least the first lesion in the first region of the tissue wall overthe first time interval. Block 1306B includes second deliveryinstructions configured to cause a second delivery of energy to beprovided by the energy source device system to each of the transducers306 of the second pair of the adjacent ones of the transducers 306 inthe distribution, the second delivery of energy configured to occur overa second interval (c) during the reception of the selection of the groupof pairs of adjacent transducers 306, (d) after a completion of thereception of the selection of the group of pairs of adjacent transducers306, or both (c) and (d) to form at least a second lesion in a secondregion of a tissue wall. In other words, in some embodiments, the energyprovided to each of the transducers of the second pair of adjacent onesof the transducers is sufficient for forming at least the second lesionin the second region of the tissue wall over the second time interval.In some embodiments, a duration of the second time interval is differentthan a duration of the first time interval. In some embodiments, thefirst lesion extends continuously across the first region between thetransducers 306 of the first pair of adjacent transducers 306. In someembodiments, the second lesion extends continuously across the secondregion between the transducers 306 of the second pair of adjacenttransducers 306. In some embodiments, each of the first lesion, thesecond lesion, or both the first and the second lesions act as anelectrophysiological activity conduction block that blockselectrophysiological activity in a respective one of the first regionand the second region of the tissue wall. In some embodiments, theenergy provided to each of the transducers of the first pair of adjacentones of the transducers has a magnitude for ablating tissue of a tissuewall over the first time interval to a first depth, and the energyprovided to each of the transducers of the second pair of adjacent onesof the transducers has a magnitude for ablating tissue of a tissue wallover the second time interval to the first depth.

The duration of activation time intervals (e.g., the first and thesecond time intervals in this example embodiment) may vary based onvarious factors, such as those described below with respect to blocks1304A-1304G. In some embodiments, block 1304 includes instructionsconfigured to cause a determination of various ones of the activationtime intervals. In some embodiments, block 1304 includes firstdetermination instructions configured to cause a determination of aduration of a first time interval for a first pair of transducers(selected, e.g., according to block 1302) and second determinationinstructions configured to cause a determination of a duration of asecond time interval for a second pair of transducers (selected, e.g.,according to block 1302). It should be noted, however, that thedeterminations described herein with respect to block 1304 need notapply only to the activation intervals for transducer pairs, and equallypertain to the determination of activation intervals for singletransducers. Blocks 1304A-1304G provide examples of factors that can beused individually or in combination to determine one or more activationtime intervals.

In some embodiments, the duration of the first time interval isdetermined in accordance with the instructions of block 1304A based atleast on the respective corresponding size of the energy transmissionsurface 319 of each of at least one of the electrodes 315 of the firstpair of adjacent transducers 306, and additionally or alternatively, theduration of the second time interval is determined based at least on therespective corresponding size of the energy transmission surface 319 ofat least one of the electrodes 315 of the second pair of adjacenttransducers 306. In some embodiments, a duration of the second timeinterval may be different than the duration of the first time intervalat least because of a difference in a magnitude between a determinedcorresponding size of at least one of the respective electrodes 315 ofthe first pair of adjacent transducers 306 and a determinedcorresponding size of at least one of the respective electrodes 315 ofthe second pair of adjacent transducers 306.

For example, with respect to FIG. 3B, when energy is delivered to eachof a pair of transducers during an activation resulting in ablation(e.g., bipolar ablation), tissue ablation depths may be dependent on thesize of the electrodes 315 associated with the pair of the transducers306, with transducer pairs having relatively larger electrodes 315reaching a desired ablation depth in a shorter duration than transducerpairs having relatively smaller electrodes 315.

In this example embodiment, three transducers 306 including a firsttransducer 306 m, a second transducer 306 l, and a third transducer 306n are shown. In this example embodiment, the selected first pair ofadjacent transducers 306 includes transducers 306 l and 306 m and theselected second pair of transducers 306 includes transducers 306 m and306 n. It is understood that selected first and second pairs of adjacenttransducers 306 need not share a same transducer 306 and, in someembodiments, each of the transducers in the selected first pair ofadjacent transducers 306 is different from each of the transducers inthe selected second pair of adjacent transducers 306. In this exampleembodiment, each of the first, the second, and the third transducers 306m, 3061 and 306 n includes a respective electrode (i.e., a respectiveone of first electrode 315 m, second electrode 3151, and third electrode315 n) having a respective energy transmission surface 319 (i.e., arespective one of first energy transmission surface 319 m, second energytransmission surface 3191 and third energy transmission surface 319 n).In this example embodiment, each of the energy transmission surfaces 319has a corresponding size and a corresponding shape. In this particularembodiment, a magnitude of a surface area size of an exposed conductiveportion of the first energy transmission surface 319 m associated withfirst electrode 306 m is less than a magnitude of a surface area size ofan exposed conductive portion of the second energy transmission surface3191 associated with the second transducer 306 l. In this particularembodiment, the magnitude of the surface area size of the exposedconductive portion of the first energy transmission surface 319 m isgreater than a magnitude of a surface area size of an exposed conductiveportion of the third energy transmission surface 319 n associated withthe third transducer 306 n. Magnitude differences between thecorresponding sizes of various transducers 306 employed in variousembodiments may be motivated by various factors. In this exampleembodiment, electrodes 315 having smaller sizes are employed in regionswhere the elongate members 304 are spaced closer with respect to oneanother or overlap one another.

As discussed above, the energy transmission surface 3191 of electrode3151 of the first pair of adjacent transducers 306 has a greater surfacearea than the energy transmission surface 319 n of electrode 315 n ofthe second pair of adjacent transducers 306, and, therefore, theduration of the second time interval is greater than the duration of thefirst time interval. In this example embodiment, each of the first andthe second pairs of adjacent electrodes 315 has an electrode (e.g.,electrode 315 m) having a same corresponding size.

In some embodiments, a determination of a particular duration of thefirst and the second time intervals is based on various relationshipsbetween the respective transducers 306 of an associated one of theselected first and the second pairs of adjacent transducers 306. Forexample, as shown by block 1304B in FIG. 14, other factors associatedwith duration differences between the first and the second timeintervals may include various spatial relationships between thetransducers of the first and the second pairs of adjacent transducers306. For instance, in FIG. 3B, transducers 306 o and 306 n can form aselected first pair of adjacent ones of the transducers that are spacedwith respect to one another by a first transducer-to-transducer distance(not called out) while transducers 306 p and 306 l can form a selectedsecond pair of adjacent transducers that are spaced with respect to oneanother by a second transducer-to-transducer distance (not called out)that is different than the first transducer-to-transducer distance. Insome embodiments, differences between the respectivetransducer-to-transducer distances may result from inherent designfeatures. In some embodiments, differences between the respectivetransducer-to-transducer distances may occur as transducers arepositioned to conform to a bodily cavity of a particular size. In someembodiments, the duration of the first time interval is determined inaccordance with the instructions of block 1304B based at least on thefirst transducer-to-transducer distance and the duration of the secondtime interval is determined based at least on the secondtransducer-to-transducer distance. In some embodiments, a duration ofthe second time interval may be different than the duration of the firsttime interval at least because the second transducer-to-transducerdistance is longer than the first transducer-to-transducer distance. Forexample, longer ablation times may be required for increased spacingsbetween a respective pair of adjacent transducers. In this exampleembodiment, the second transducer-to-transducer distance is greater thanthe first transducer-to-transducer distance and the duration of thesecond time interval is greater than the first time interval.

With respect to block 1304G in FIG. 14, other factors associated withduration differences between the first and the second time intervals mayinclude whether or not physical structure exists between the selectedfirst pair of adjacent transducers and between the selected second pairof adjacent transducers. In this regard, in some example embodiments, afirst region of space (e.g., region of space 360) that is associatedwith a physical part of structure 308 (e.g., FIG. 3B) is located betweenthe respective transducers 306 b, 306 c of a selected first pair ofadjacent ones of the transducers 306 while a second region of space(e.g., region of space 350) that is not associated with any physicalpart of the structure 308 is located between the respective transducers306 b, 306 a of a selected second pair of adjacent ones of thetransducer 306. In various ones of these example embodiments, each ofthe first and the second regions of space do not include any transducer.In some embodiments, a duration of the first time interval is determinedin accordance with the instructions of block 1304G based at least on aresult that the first region of space being associated with a physicalpart of structure 308 and a duration of the second time interval isdetermined in accordance with the instructions of block 1304G based atleast as a result of the second region of space being not associatedwith any physical part of structure 308. In some embodiments, a durationof the second time interval may be different than the duration of thefirst time interval at least because the first region of space isassociated with a physical part of structure 308 and the second regionof space is not associated with any physical part of structure 308. Forexample, tissue ablated adjacent the first region of space (e.g., regionof space 360) may be relatively shielded from cooling effects associatedwith fluid flow (e.g., blood flow) within the bodily cavity by aphysical part of structure 308 while tissue adjacent the second regionof space (e.g., region of space 350) is relatively exposed to thecooling effects of the fluid flow due to the absence of a physical partof structure 308 thereby possibly requiring longer activation durations.In one example embodiment, the first region of space associated with aphysical part of the structure 308 is between the transducers 306 b, 306c and the second region of space that is not associated with anyphysical part of structure 308 is between the transducers 306 b, 306 aof the second pair of adjacent transducers and the duration of thesecond time interval is greater than the duration of the first timeinterval.

In some example embodiments, the first time interval (for activating thefirst pair of transducers, e.g., selected according to block 1302), thesecond time interval (for activating the second pair of transducers,e.g., selected according to block 1302) or both the first and the secondtime intervals may be determined at least in part from transducer data.For example, in various embodiments, block 1303 may include data requestinstructions configured to cause a reception of transducer data via theinput-output device system, the transducer data indicating data acquiredby at least some of the plurality of transducers 306. In some of thesevarious embodiments, duration instructions provided by block 1304C areconfigured to cause a determination of the first time interval, thesecond time interval, or both the first and the second time intervalsbased at least on an analysis of the transducer data. In some of theseembodiments the first delivery instructions of block 1306A areconfigured to cause the first delivery of energy to be provided by theenergy source device system to each of the transducers 306 of the firstpair of adjacent transducers 306 during or after completion of thereception of the transducer data. In some of these embodiments, thesecond delivery instructions of block 1306B are configured to cause thesecond delivery of energy to be provided by the energy source devicesystem to each of the transducers 306 of the second pair of adjacenttransducers 306 during or after the completion of the reception of thetransducer data.

Various analyses of the transducer data may be performed. In someembodiments, positional determination instructions associated with block1304D may be configured to cause, based at least on an analysis of thetransducer data, a determination of a spatial relationship between thetransducers 306 providing the transducer data and a bodily cavity inwhich the transducers 306 are positioned. In this regard, the first timeinterval, the second time interval, or both the first and the secondtime intervals can be determined based at least on the determinedspatial relationship at block 1304D.

In some embodiments, proximity determination instructions associatedwith block 1304E may be configured to cause, based at least on ananalysis of the transducer data, a determination of a proximity of eachof the transducer data providing-transducers 306 to an anatomicalfeature in a bodily cavity in which the transducers 306 are positioned.In this regard, the first time interval, the second time interval, orboth the first and the second time intervals can be determined accordingto block 1304E based at least on the determined proximity of each of thetransducer data providing-transducers to the anatomical feature.

In some embodiments, tissue determination instructions associated withblock 1304F are configured to cause, based at least on an analysis ofthe transducer data, a determination of a tissue characteristic (e.g.,tissue thickness, tissue type). In this regard, the first time interval,the second time interval, or both the first and the second timeintervals can be determined according to block 1304F based at least onthe determined tissue characteristic.

For example, in regard to blocks 1304D, 1034E, and 1304F, the transducerdata might include impedance or other information that indicates that afirst pair of transducers is in contact with thinner tissue than is asecond pair of transducers. Thicker tissue, in some embodiments,requires a longer ablation duration than thinner tissue and, therefore,the first pair of transducers might be activated, e.g., by delivery ofablative energy, according to the instructions of block 1306 for a firstinterval longer than a second interval by which the second pair oftransducers is activated (assuming the transducers of the first andsecond pairs have roughly equivalent sizes and energy deliverycapabilities).

In some embodiments, the determination instructions associated withblock 1304 (or any sub-block therein) are configured to determine theduration of the first time interval, the second time interval or boththe first and the second time intervals based at least in part from aselection of data stored in a memory device system (e.g., memory devicesystem 130, 330). In some example embodiments, predetermined values(e.g., default values) associated with the first time interval, thesecond time interval, or both the first and the second time intervalsare provided by data stored in the memory device system. In this regard,the time intervals can be pre-calculated (instead of being calculated inreal-time) in some embodiments and stored in the memory device system,such that the determination at, for example, any of blocks 1304A-G,could merely be a retrieval of the appropriate time intervals from thememory device system.

In some embodiments, generation of a second sequence or second order inaccordance with the generation instruction of block 809 may be based atleast in part on various aspects of the determinations described withrespect to block 1304, which can generate activation time intervals andthen cause transducer activation according to the generated timeintervals according to the above-discussed second sequence or secondorder in a time-efficient manner.

In various embodiments, a particular transducer may form part of each ofat least two sets of transducers arranged in a distribution by atransducer-based device, each of the at least two sets of transducersindependently selectable, (e.g., by a graphical interface describedherein). In various embodiments, an activation of a particulartransducer may vary based at least on which of the at least twoselectable sets of transducers the particular transducer forms part of.

For example, FIG. 15A includes a block diagram showing a method 1400including instructions provided by various blocks (e.g., instructionsprovided in a program) for selecting and activating transducers in atransducer-based device according to some embodiments. In someembodiments, method 1400 may include a subset of the associated blocksor additional blocks than those shown in FIG. 15A. Block 1402 includesreception instructions configured to cause a reception from aninput-output device system (e.g., input-output device system 120 or 320)of a selection of at least two of a plurality of transducers arranged ina distribution by a transducer-based device (e.g., transducer-baseddevice 300 shown in FIG. 3B). This selection could be according to thefirst sequence or first order described above with respect to FIG. 10,in some embodiments. In this example embodiment, the selected at leasttwo of the plurality of transducers include at least a first transducerand one of a second transducer and a third transducer in thedistribution. Each of the first, the second, and the third transducersare different transducers in the distribution. In various embodiments,each of the first transducer and the second transducer form a first pairof adjacent ones of the transducers in the distribution and each of thefirst transducer and the third transducer form part of a second pair ofadjacent ones of the transducers in the distribution. Reference isherein made to the transducers 306 for convenience of describing variousembodiments but it is understood that other transducer-based deviceshaving other transducers may be associated with other embodimentsemploying aspects of method 1400. In some embodiments, independentselections of each of at least some of a plurality of graphical elementsprovided by a display are employed to select at least the firsttransducer 306, the second transducer 306 or the third transducer 306.In some embodiments, a selection of a single graphical element (e.g.,between graphical element 504, 604) provided by a display is employed toselect either a first transducer set that includes at least the firsttransducer 306 and the second transducer 306, or a second transducer setthat includes at least the first transducer 306 and the third transducer306. In some embodiments, the selection is a first selection in whichthe first and the second transducers 306, but not the third transducer306, are selected. The reception instructions of block 1402 may befurther configured to cause a reception of a second selection from theinput-output device system after receiving the first selection and afterinitiation of an activation of at least the first transducer, with thesecond selection being a selection of at least the third transducer 306in the distribution. In some embodiments, each of the first and thesecond transducers 306 are located on a first elongate member 304 of thetransducer-based device 300 and the third transducer 306 is located on asecond elongate member 304, the second elongate member 304 differentfrom the first elongate member 304.

Block 1406 includes activation instructions configured to causeactivation via the input-output device system of each of the selected atleast two of the plurality of transducers 306. In some exampleembodiments, block 1406 includes blocks 1407A and 1407B. Block 1407Aincludes instructions configured to cause the activation of at least thefirst transducer 306 to occur for a first time interval when theselected at least two of the plurality of transducers 306 includes thesecond transducer 306 in the distribution. Block 1407B includesinstructions configured to cause the activation of at least the firsttransducer 306 to occur for a second time interval when the selected atleast two of the plurality of transducers 306 includes the thirdtransducer 306 in the distribution. In this embodiment, a duration ofthe second time interval is different than a duration of the first timeinterval. Activation of the selected at least two of the plurality oftransducers 306 may include an activation resulting in tissue ablation,an activation resulting in the determination of a tissue characteristic(e.g., tissue impedance), or other forms of activation. Activation ofthe selected at least two of the plurality of transducers 306 mayinclude bipolar activation or monopolar activation or combinationsthereof.

As previously described in this detailed description, various factorsmay have a bearing on the use of different activation time intervals. Insome embodiments, each of the first, the second, and the thirdtransducers 306 includes a respective electrode 315 having an energytransmission surface 319, each energy transmission surface 319 having arespective corresponding size, with the respective corresponding sizeassociated with the second transducer 306 having a different magnitudethan the respective corresponding size associated with the thirdtransducer 306. Such may occur, for example in one particularembodiment, when the first transducer is transducer 306 m, the secondtransducer is transducer 306 l, and the third transducer is transducer306 n as shown in FIG. 3B. In this particular embodiment, a duration ofthe second time interval is greater than a duration of the first timeinterval when the selected at least two of the plurality of transducers306 includes third transducer 306 n whose energy transmission surface319 n has a smaller surface area than the surface area of the energytransmission surface 3191 associated with the second transducer 306 l.

In various embodiments, the first transducer 306 is spaced from thesecond transducer 306 by a first distance in the distribution, and thefirst transducer 306 is spaced from the third transducer 306 by a seconddistance in the distribution, the second distance being longer than thefirst distance. In some of these various embodiments, a duration of thesecond time interval associated with a selection of the third transducer306 is longer than a duration of the first time interval associated witha selection of the second transducer 306.

In various embodiments, a first region of space that is associated witha physical part of the structure 308 of the transducer-based device 300is located between the second transducer 306 and the first transducer306 and a second region of space is that is not associated with anyphysical part of the structure 308 is located between the firsttransducer 306 and the third transducer 306. Such may occur, forexample, when the first transducer is transducer 306 b, the secondtransducer is transducer 306 c and the third transducer is transducer306 a as shown in FIG. 3B. In this particular embodiment, a duration ofthe second time interval is greater than the duration of the first timeinterval when the selected at least two of the plurality of transducers306 includes the third transducer (e.g., transducer 306 a) which isspaced from the first transducer (e.g., transducer 306 b) across thesecond region of space not associated with any physical part ofstructure 308.

In some embodiments, each of at least one of the first time interval andthe second time interval is a predetermined time interval. In variousexample embodiments, a sensing device system (e.g., sensing devicesystem 325) detects a detectable attribute (e.g., temperature, a tissueor non-tissue electrical characteristic) at each of a plurality oflocations, each of at least two of the plurality of locations at leastproximate a respective one of the selected at least two of the pluralityof transducers 306. In some of these various embodiments, method 1400may include instructions (not shown) configured to cause a determinationof each of the at least one of the first and the second time intervalsbased at least on the detected attributes at each of at least some ofthe plurality of locations. Determination of any of the first and thesecond time intervals may be based at least on transducer dataindicating data acquired by at least some of the plurality oftransducers 306. For example, duration determination instructions (notshown) may be provided to cause determination of the duration of thefirst time interval, the second time interval, or both the first and thesecond time intervals based at least on a spatial relationship caused tobe determined based at least on the transducer data by positionaldetermination instructions (not shown, but similar to the instructionsof block 1304D). In some embodiments, the duration determinationinstructions may be provided to cause determination of the duration ofthe first time interval, the second time interval, or both the first andthe second time intervals based at least on a determined proximity ofeach of at least some of the plurality of transducers to an anatomicalfeature in a bodily cavity, the determined proximity caused to bedetermined based at least on the transducer data by proximitydetermination instructions (not shown but similar to the proximitydetermination instructions of block 1304E). In some embodiments, theduration determination instructions may be provided to causedetermination of the duration of the first time interval, the secondtime interval, or both the first and the second time intervals based atleast on a determined tissue characteristic caused to be determinedbased at least on the transducer data by tissue determinationinstructions (not shown but similar to the instructions of block 1304F).In some embodiments, the activation instructions of block 1406 areconfigured to cause activation of each of the at least two of theplurality of transducers 306 during or after completion of the receptionof the transducer data. In some embodiments, as discussed above,generation of a second sequence or second order in accordance with thegeneration instruction of block 809 may be based at least in part onvarious aspects of method 1400.

In some embodiments, other forms of variances in the activation of aparticular transducer may occur depending on which of at least twoselectable sets of transducers the particular transducer forms part of.For example, FIG. 15B is an exploded diagram of the activationinstructions provided by block 1406 according to various embodiments. Insome embodiments, the activation instructions provided by block 1406 mayinclude a subset of the associated blocks or additional blocks thanthose shown in FIG. 15B. The various embodiments associated with block1406 in FIG. 15A may or may not include various aspects of instructionsincluded in FIG. 15B, and accordingly block 1406 is herein referred toas block 1406A in FIG. 15B. Block 1406A includes various instructionsthat may be provided by instructions in a program by way of non-limitingexample.

In some particular embodiments, block 1406A includes energy deliveryinstructions configured to selectively cause energy from an energysource device system (e.g., energy source device system 340) to bedelivered to each transducer of a selected pair of transducers 306 thatincludes the first transducer 306 and one of a second transducer 306 anda third transducer 306 selected as per block 1402. Again, each of thefirst, the second, and the third transducers 306 are differenttransducers 306. In various embodiments, each of the first transducer306 and the second transducer 306 form a first pair of adjacent ones ofthe transducers 306 in the distribution, and each of the firsttransducer 306 and the third transducer 306 form a second pair ofadjacent ones of the transducers 306 in the distribution. It is notedthat other transducer-based devices employing other transducers may beemployed in other embodiments associated with block 1406A. In someembodiments, the energy delivered from the energy source device systemis sufficient for tissue ablation (e.g., bipolar tissue ablation).

In various embodiments associated with block 1406A, a memory devicesystem (e.g., memory device system 130, 330) stores informationassociated with a respective set of one or more target temperatures foreach of a number of the transducers 306 in the distribution oftransducers 306 provided by transducer-based device 300 (e.g., at leastthe first transducer 306 and the second transducer 306 or the thirdtransducer 306 selected according to block 1402). In this regard,thermal sensing instructions provided by block 1409 may be configured tocause reception of detected temperature information indicatingrespective temperatures detected by a sensing device system (e.g.,sensing device system 325) at respective locations at least proximateeach of at least some of the transducers 306 in a selected set oftransducers 306 (e.g., from block 1402). This detected temperatureinformation can be for comparison with the target temperatures, in someembodiments.

For example, in various embodiments, the energy delivery instructions ofblock 1406A include adjustment instructions provided by block 1410Aconfigured to cause the energy delivered to at least one transducer 306of a selected pair of transducers 306 (e.g., from block 1402) to beadjusted based at least on a difference between a respective temperaturedetected by a sensing device system (e.g., sensing device system 325) ata respective location at least proximate the first transducer 306 of theselected pair of transducers 306 and the respective target temperatureassociated with the first transducer 306. In some embodiments, theenergy delivery instructions of block 1406A are configured to controlthe energy provided to the at least one transducer 306 of the selectedpair of transducers 306 to maintain the temperature detected by thesensing device system at the location at least proximate the firsttransducer 306 of the selected pair of transducers 306 at or near therespective target temperature associated with the first transducer 306of the selected pair of transducers 306. In some embodiments, the atleast one transducer 306 of the selected pair of transducers 306includes the first transducer 306 of the selected pair, or the firsttransducer of the selected pair and either the second transducer 306 orthe third transducer 306, whichever is selected according to block 1402.

In some embodiments, the respective set of one or more targettemperatures associated with the first transducer 306 of the selectedpair of transducers 306 includes a first target temperature and a secondtarget temperature having a different value than the first targettemperature. The first target temperature or the second targettemperature may be utilized for energy delivery control depending uponwhat other transducer the first transducer 306 is paired with. Forexample, the first target temperature may be selected for energydelivery control when the first transducer 306 is paired with the secondtransducer 306. On the other hand, the second target temperature may beselected for energy delivery control when the first transducer 306 ispaired with the third transducer 306. Such an arrangement may bebeneficial for temperature control in circumstances where the secondtransducer 306 and the third transducer 306 have differentcharacteristics, such as size, location, distance from the firsttransducer 306, relationship with respect to a bodily cavity, or whethera physical part of the transducer-based device (e.g., 300) or a regionof space not associated with any physical part of the transducer-baseddevice is between the respective transducer and the first transducer306, et cetera.

In this regard, block 1406A may include first adjustment instructionsprovided by block 1410B, the first adjustment instructions configuredto, when the selected pair of transducers 306 includes the secondtransducer 306, cause adjustment of the energy delivered from the energysource device system to the first transducer 306, the second transducer306, or both the first transducer 306 and the second transducer 306based at least on a difference between (a) the temperature detected by asensing device system (e.g., sensing device system 325) at a location atleast proximate the first transducer 306 and (b) the first targettemperature. On the other hand, block 1406A may include secondadjustment instructions provided by block 1410C, the second adjustmentinstructions configured to, when the selected pair of transducers 306includes the third transducer 306, cause adjustment of the energydelivered from the energy source device system to the first transducer306, the third transducer 306 or both the first and the thirdtransducers 306 based at least on a difference between (c) thetemperature detected by the sensing device system at a locationproximate the first transducer 306 and (d) the second targettemperature.

In some embodiments, the selected pair is considered a selected firstpair of transducers 306, and the memory device system stores targettemperature information associated with a respective target temperaturefor each transducer 306 of at least a second pair of transducers 306 inthe distribution, at least one of the respective target temperaturesassociated with the transducers 306 of the second pair of transducers306 having a different value than each of the respective targettemperatures associated with the transducers 306 of the first pair oftransducers 306. In some embodiments, the respective target temperaturesassociated with the transducers 306 of the second pair of transducers306 have different values. In some embodiments, each of the respectivetarget temperatures associated with the transducers 306 of the secondpair of transducers 306 has a different value than each of therespective target temperatures associated with the transducers 306 ofthe first pair of transducers 306. For example, different transducercharacteristics (location, size, relationship with respect to anothertransducer or a bodily cavity, material or lack thereof betweentransducers) can lead to respectively different target temperatures.

In some embodiments, the respective set of one more target temperaturesassociated with each of the number of transducers 306 in thedistribution may be such that the memory device system stores targettemperature information for each transducer 306 of a first pair of thetransducers 306 in the distribution, the respective target temperaturesassociated with the transducers 306 of the first pair of transducers 306in the distribution having different values. In various embodiments, thefirst pair of transducers 306 is a first pair of adjacent ones of thetransducers 306 in the distribution. For example, when the selectedfirst pair of the transducers 306 includes the first transducer 306 andthe second transducer 306 described above, a value of a targettemperature associated with the second transducer 306 may be differentthan a value of a target temperature associated with the firsttransducer 306. In some embodiments, a respective set of one or moretarget temperatures associated with the first transducer 306 may includeonly a single target temperature value.

In a manner similar to at least some of the embodiments employingdifferent activation time intervals, various factors may have a bearingon the use of different target temperatures. For example, in someembodiments, different transducer-electrode energy transmission surfacesizes, shapes, or both cause differences in energy-deliverycharacteristics, which raise the need for different target temperatures.In this regard, in some embodiments, each of the first, the second, andthe third transducers 306 includes a respective electrode 315 having anenergy transmission surface 319, each energy transmission surface havinga respective corresponding size, with the respective corresponding sizeassociated with the second transducer 306 having a different magnitudethan the respective corresponding size associated with the thirdtransducer 306. Also, in some embodiments, the energy transmissionsurface 319 may have a respective shape, the respective shape of theenergy transmission surface 319 of the second transducer 306 beingdifferent than the respective shape of the energy transmission surface319 of the third transducer 306. In various embodiments, a respectivesize or respective shape of the energy transmission surface 319 of atleast one of the second transducer 306 and the third transducer 306 maybe different than the respective corresponding size or the respectiveshape of the first transducer 306. Consequently, in some embodimentsinvolving different electrode sizes, shapes, or both sizes and shapes,different target temperatures are associated with the respectivetransducer sets.

For another example, in some embodiments, different transducer spacings,different types of material between transducers, or both causedifferences in energy-delivery characteristics, which raise the need fordifferent target temperatures. In this regard, in various embodiments,the first transducer 306 is spaced from the second transducer 306 by afirst distance in the distribution and the first transducer 306 isspaced from the third transducer 306 by a second distance in thedistribution, the second distance being different than the firstdistance. In various embodiments, a first region of space that isassociated with a physical part of the structure 308 of thetransducer-based device 300 is located between the second transducer 306and the first transducer 306 and a second region of space is that is notassociated with any physical part of the structure 308 is locatedbetween the first transducer 306 and the third transducer 306.Consequently, in some embodiments involving different transducerspacings, different types of material between transducers, or bothdifferent transducer spacings and different types of material betweentransducers, different target temperatures are associated with therespective transducer sets.

In some embodiments, a value of various ones of the target temperaturesis predetermined. In various example embodiments, a sensing devicesystem (e.g., sensing device system 325) detects a detectable attribute(e.g., temperature, a tissue or non-tissue electrical characteristic) ateach of a plurality of locations, each of at least two of the pluralityof locations at least proximate a respective transducer 306 of theselected pair of transducers 306 (e.g., selected according to block1402). In some of these various embodiments, determination instructions(not shown) may be configured to cause a determination of a value ofeach of at least one of the first and the second target temperatures ofthe respective set of one or more target temperatures associated withthe first transducer 306 based at least on the detected attribute ateach of at least some of the plurality of locations. In some of thesevarious embodiments, determination instructions (not shown) may beprovided that may be configured to cause a determination of a value ofeach of at least one of the respective target temperatures associatedwith various transducers 306 based at least on the detected attribute ateach of at least some of the plurality of locations. Determination of aparticular target temperature may be based at least on transducer dataindicating data acquired by at least some of the plurality oftransducers 306. For example, target temperature determinationinstructions (not shown) may be provided to cause determination of avalue of the first target temperature, the second target temperature, orboth the first and the second target temperatures of the respective setof one or more target temperatures associated with the first transducer306 or any of the target temperatures associated with any other of thesets of one or more target temperatures based at least on a spatialrelationship caused to be determined based at least on the transducerdata by positional determination instructions (not shown, but similar tothe instructions of block 1304D). In some embodiments, the targettemperatures determination instructions may be provided to causedetermination of a value of a particular target temperature based atleast on a determined proximity of each of at least some of theplurality of transducers 306 to an anatomical feature in a bodilycavity, the determined proximity caused to be determined based at leaston the transducer data by proximity determination instructions (notshown but similar to the proximity determination instructions of block1304E). In some embodiments, determination instructions may be providedto cause determination of a value of a particular target temperaturebased at least on a determined tissue characteristic caused to bedetermined based at least on the transducer data by tissue determinationinstructions (not shown but similar to the instructions of block 1304F).In some embodiments, the energy delivery instructions of block 1406A areconfigured to cause activation of each of the selected transducersduring or after completion of the reception of the transducer data. Invarious embodiments, different target temperatures may result indifferent activation time intervals.

In view of at least the above-discussion with respect to block 1406A andFIG. 15B, it can be seen that energy delivered to a transducer (e.g., toan electrode thereof) that is sufficient for tissue ablation may beembodied as a target temperature associated with such transducer, andenergy that is sufficient for tissue ablation may be dependent uponfactors including transducer (or its electrode's) location, size, shape,relationship with respect to another transducer (or its electrode) or abodily cavity, material or lack thereof between transducers (or theirrespective electrodes), et cetera. FIG. 17 provides measured data pointsfor ablation depth (i.e., indicated as burn depth) versus RF power thatmay be expected according to various non-limiting examples, the RF powerdelivered to the electrodes associated with various pairs of transducerspresent along a same structural member (e.g., an elongate member 304 inFIG. 3B). The plotted data in FIG. 17 includes data for a pair of“large” electrodes, each of the large electrodes having a surface areaof 19.5 mm², and a pair of “small” electrodes having respective surfaceareas of 10.9 mm² and 13.2 mm².

In another non-limiting example, a pair of electrodes that each areapproximately 10 mm² in surface area and present along a same structuralmember (e.g., an elongate member 304 in FIG. 3B) may be expected, insome circumstances, to sufficiently ablate intra-cardiac tissue to adepth of approximately 3.1 mm with 2 W of power and to a depth ofapproximately 4.4 mm with 4 W of power. For yet another non-limitingexample, if each electrode in this pair instead has approximately 20 mm²of surface area, it may be expected that such pair of electrodes willsufficiently ablate intra-cardiac tissue to a depth of approximately 3.1mm with 4 W of power and to a depth of approximately 4.4 mm with 8 W ofpower. In these non-limiting examples and in the non-limiting examplesillustrated by FIG. 17, power refers to the average power of eachelectrode summed together, and the depth and power values may bedifferent depending upon the particular shapes of the respectiveelectrodes, the particular distance between them, a degree ofelectrode-to-tissue contact, and other factors. It is understood,however, that for the same control or target temperature, a largerelectrode will achieve a given ablation depth sooner than a smallerelectrode. A smaller electrode (e.g., an electrode with a smallersurface area) may need to operate at a higher target temperature toachieve the same ablation depth as compared to a larger (e.g., surfacearea) electrode (a phenomenon driven by a greater divergence of heatflux of smaller electrodes), which is a compensation not explicitlyreflected in FIG. 17. Put differently, a maximum ablation depth (e.g.,reached when the temperature profile approaches steady state) of arelatively smaller electrode is typically shallower than that of arelatively larger electrode when ablating at the same control or targettemperature, and consequently, a given, less than maximum, ablationdepth typically is a larger proportion of the final, maximum, ablationdepth for a relatively smaller electrode and typically is reached laterin the ablation as compared to a relatively larger electrode. Thiscircumstance may be associated with a lower total power provided to therelatively smaller electrode as compared to a relatively largerelectrode, but, nonetheless, the power density present in the relativelysmaller electrode may be expected to be somewhat higher as compared tothe relatively larger electrode. The phrase “power density” in thiscontext means output power divided by electrode area. Note that powerdensity approximately drives the realized control or target temperature,but in various cases, this is a simplification, and as indicated above,the relationship between power density and realized control or targettemperature may be modified by such factors as electrode size, shape,separation, and so forth. It is further noted that when a comparison ismade between a relatively larger electrode operated at a lower controltemperature versus a relatively smaller electrode operated at a highertemperature, further complications may arise when limits on compensationfor electrode size with temperature are also dictated, at least in part,by a desire to reduce occurrences of thermal coagulation of blood orsteam formation in the ablated tissue. It is noted that power levels inirrigated electrode systems are typically higher (i.e., in the tens ofWatts) than those described above.

Returning for a moment to the above-discussions regarding method 800 ofFIG. 10, it was noted that, in some embodiments, generation of theabove-discussed second sequence or second order in accordance with thegeneration instructions of block 809 may be based at least in part onvarious aspects of FIGS. 11-16 and any other embodiment in which atransducer-activation sequence is generated that might be different thana transducer-selection sequence (although the invention is not limitedto these examples).

In this regard, FIG. 16 illustrates another example of how atransducer-activation sequence could be generated from an analysis oftransducers in a transducer-selection sequence, which can cause theactivation sequence to be different than the selection sequence. Itshould be noted, however, that the embodiments of FIG. 16 (as well asFIGS. 11-15B) need not exist only in this context of FIG. 10, but canstand independently in their own context.

Accordingly, FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a method 1500 includinginstructions provided by various blocks (e.g., instructions provided ina program) for selecting and activating transducers in atransducer-based device according to various embodiments. In someembodiments, method 1500 may include a subset of the associated blocksor additional blocks than those shown in FIG. 16. Block 1502 includesreception instructions configured to cause reception from aninput-output device system (e.g., input-output device system 120 or 320)of at least some of a plurality of transducers of a transducer-baseddevice, the plurality of the transducers arranged in a distributionpositionable in a bodily cavity. The selected at least some of thetransducers define a continuous series of pairs of the transducers. Thecontinuous series includes at least a first pair of the transducers, asecond pair of the transducers and a third pair of the transducers. Insome of these various embodiments, at least the first pair of thetransducers is arranged in the continuous series between the second andthe third pairs of the transducers in the continuous series. In some ofthese various embodiments, each pair of the transducers in thecontinuous series has a same transducer as another pair in thecontinuous series. For example, in an embodiment associated with FIG.5F, the selected between graphical elements 504 identified bycorresponding pairs of identification labels: “R:6-Q:6”, “Q:6-P:6”,“P:6-P:7”, “P:7-O:7”, “O:7-O:8”, “O:8-O:9”, “O:9-P:9”, “P:9-P:10”,“P:10-Q:10”, “Q:10-R:10”, “R:10-R:9”, “R:9-S:9”, “S:9-S:8”, “S:8-S:7”,“S:7-R:7” and “R:7-R:6” are associated with a continuous series ofselected pairs of transducers (e.g., transducers 306 of transducerbased-device 300), each pair of the transducers in the continuous serieshaving a same transducer as another pair of the transducers in thecontinuous series. In this embodiment, a visual characteristic of eachselected between graphical element 504 changes upon selection of thebetween graphical element. In this example embodiment, the respectivetransducers of at least one of the pairs of transducers are located on asame elongate member of a structure of the transducer-based device(e.g., structure 308) and the respective transducers of at least anotherof the pairs of the transducers are located on different elongatemembers of the structure. In this example embodiment, a region of spaceis between two transducers of the selected at least some of theplurality of transducers in the distribution, the two transducersdefining one of the pairs of the transducers in the continuous series,the region of space not associated with any physical part of thetransducer-based device. In some embodiments, each pair of thetransducers in the continuous series is arranged in the continuousseries between a respective two adjacent pairs of the transducers in thecontinuous series. In some embodiments, each pair of the transducers inthe continuous series has a same transducer as an adjacent pair of thetransducers in the continuous series. In some embodiments, each pair ofthe transducers in the continuous series is associated with a differentrespective set of two pairs of the transducers in the continuous series,each of the transducers in each pair of the transducers in thecontinuous series included in a different pair of the respective set oftwo pairs of the transducers in the continuous series. In someembodiments, each pair of the transducers in the continuous series ispositioned in the continuous series between the two pairs of thetransducers of the respective set of two pairs of the transducers in thecontinuous series. In some example embodiments, the pairs of thetransducers in the continuous series are arranged one after another inspatial succession in the distribution. In other embodiments, otherforms of visual representations (e.g., tabular or orderedrepresentations) may be employed to provide an operator with informationrepresenting, or associated with, the continuous series of the pair ofthe transducers. In some embodiments, the continuous series is anordered list of the pairs of the transducers, the ordered list stored bya memory device system (e.g., memory device system 130, 330). In thisregard, in some embodiments, the continuous series need not be aspatially-continuous series of adjacent transducers like that shown inFIG. 5F, but could be another ordered representation of transducers,such as an ordered list stored by a memory device system.

Block 1506 includes activation instructions configured to, in responseto receiving at least part of the selection (e.g., a sufficient numberof the selected at least some of the plurality of transducers (selected,e.g., according to block 1502) to define at least some pairs of thetransducers), cause activation of the transducers of each pair of thetransducers in the continuous series according to a sequence, theactivation including activating the transducers of the first pair of thetransducers after activating at least the transducers of the second pairof the transducers and the third pair of the transducers according tothe sequence. For example, as compared between FIGS. 5G and 5H, theactivation instructions associated with block 810 may in one embodimentinclude aspects of the activation instructions of block 1506 that inresponse to at least part of a selection of various transducers thatdefine the continuous series of pairs of the transducers, causeactivation of the transducers of each pair of the transducers in thecontinuous series according to a sequence in which the activationincludes activating the transducers of a first pair of the transducers(e.g., the pair of transducers associated with the between graphicalelement 504 identified as “S:7-R:7”) after activating at least thetransducers of a second pair of the transducers (e.g., the pair of thetransducers associated with the between graphical element 504 identifiedas “R:6-Q:6”) and a third pair of the transducers (e.g., the pair of thetransducers associated with the between graphical element 504 identifiedas “P:10-Q:10”) according to the sequence, each of the first, the secondand the third pairs forming at least part of the defined pairs.

In this example embodiment, the continuous series is associated with adesired ablation path and the first pair of the transducers is spatiallyarranged in the continuous series between the second and the third pairsof the transducers in the continuous series. In this example embodiment,the first pair of the transducers (e.g., the pair of the transducersassociated with the between graphical element 504 identified as“S:7-R:7”) has different transducers than each of the second pair of thetransducers (e.g., the pair of transducers associated with the betweengraphical element 504 identified as “R:6-Q:6”) and the third pair of thetransducers (e.g., a pair of the transducers associated with the betweengraphical element 504 identified as “P:10-Q:10”). In some embodiments,the first pair of the transducers has different transducers than thesecond pair of the transducers, the third pair of the transducers, orboth the second and the third pairs of the transducers. In some exampleembodiments, the sequence is predetermined.

In some embodiments, at least part of the activating of (a) the secondpair of the transducers (e.g., the pair of the transducers associatedwith the between graphical element 504 identified as “R:6-Q:6”), (b) thethird pair of the transducers (e.g., the pair of the transducersassociated with the between graphical element 504 identified as“P:10-Q:10”), or both (a) and (b) does not occur during the activatingof the first pair of the transducers (e.g., the pair of the transducersassociated with the between graphical element 504 identified as“S:7-R:7”). In some embodiments, the activating of the first pair of thetransducers (e.g., the pair of the transducers associated with thebetween graphical element 504 identified as “S:7-R:7”) occurs aftercompleting the activation of (c) the second pair of the transducers(e.g., a pair of transducers associated with the between graphicalelement 504 identified as “R:6-Q:6”), (d) the third pair of thetransducers (e.g., a pair of transducers associated with the betweengraphical element 504 identified as “P:10-Q:10”), or both (c) and (d) asshown in FIG. 5H. In this example embodiment, a completion of theactivating of (c), (d), or both (c) and (d) is a completion of anablation of tissue between the respective pair or pairs of thetransducers in the continuous series. In this example embodiment, thetransducers of the pairs of the transducers are arranged to form acontinuous lesion upon completion of activation of the transducers ofthe pairs of the transducers. In this embodiment, activating of thepairs of the transducers causes energy from an energy source devicesystem (e.g., energy source device system 340) to each of thetransducers in each pair of the transducers to form a series of ablatedregions in a tissue wall of the bodily cavity in which the transducersare positioned. Each of the ablated regions is positioned one after theother in spatial succession and each of the ablated regions correspondsto one of the plurality of the pairs of the transducers. In thisembodiment, each pair of the transducers is an adjacent pair of thetransducers in the distribution. Each pair of the transducers isactivated in a sequence that causes at least one of the ablated regionsin the series of ablated regions to be formed in a region of the tissuewall that has not been previously ablated, the region in the tissue wallthat has not been previously ablated being positioned between at leasttwo previously formed ones of the ablated regions in the series ofablated regions. In this embodiment, at least one of the ablated regionsin the series of ablated regions is spatially separated from at leastone of the at least two previously formed ones of the ablated regions inthe series of the ablated regions. In this embodiment, each of theablated regions in the series of ablated regions is positioned one afterthe other in spatial succession to form a continuous ablated region. Inthis example embodiment, each of the ablated regions in the series ofablated regions is adjacently positioned in the series between arespective pair of the ablated regions in the series of the ablatedregions. In some embodiments, ablation of the tissue is bipolarablation. In some embodiments, ablation of the tissue is monopolarablation. In some embodiments, the activation of the transducers of eachpair of the transducers in the continuous series includes bipolaractivation between the transducers of each pair of the transducers inthe continuous series. In some embodiments, the activation of thetransducers of each pair of the transducers in the continuous seriesincludes monopolar activation of the transducers of each pair of thetransducers in the continuous series.

In some embodiments, the input-output device system includes a sensingdevice system (e.g., sensing device system 325) arranged to detect atleast one tissue characteristic (e.g., a tissue impedancecharacteristic) at respective locations at least proximate each of theselected at least some of the plurality of transducers with the energydelivered to each of the selected at least some of the plurality oftransducers (e.g., in some embodiments, tissue impedance may be measuredbetween transducers on the structure 308 or between a transducer on thestructure 308 and the indifferent electrode 326). In some embodiments,the activating of the first pair of the transducers (e.g., the pair ofthe transducers associated with the between graphical element 504identified as “S:7-R:7”) occurs after expiry of a time interval, thetime interval commencing after completing: (a) the activating thetransducers of the second pair (e.g., a pair of the transducersassociated with the between graphical element 504 identified as“R:6-Q:6”), (b) the transducers of the third pair (e.g., a pair of thetransducers associated with the between graphical element 504 identifiedas “P:10-Q:10”), or both (a) and (b). In some embodiments, the timeinterval is a predetermined time interval. In some embodiments, theinput-output device system includes a sensing device system andinstructions (e.g., instructions provided in a program) configured tocause the sensing device system to detect a detectable attribute (e.g.,temperature, an electrical characteristic, a tissue electricalcharacteristic) at each of one or more locations, each of the one ormore locations at least proximate to a respective one of one or more ofthe transducers in the distribution. Instructions (not shown) may beprovided to cause the data processing device system (e.g., dataprocessing device system 110 or 310) to determine at least an end of thetime interval based at least on the detected attribute. The use of atime interval in various embodiments may be motivated by variousfactors. For example, a time interval sufficient to allow for a cooldown period may be employed.

In some embodiments, each of the second and the third pairs of thetransducers are activated concurrently as exemplified by the respectivepairs of the transducers associated with the between graphical element504 identified as “R:6-Q:6” and the between graphical element 504identified as “P:10-Q:10” in FIG. 5G. In some embodiments, theactivation instructions include instructions configured to, in responseto receiving at least part of the selection, cause a starting of theactivating of at least one transducer of the second pair of thetransducers to occur at a different time than a starting of theactivating of at least one transducer of the third pair of thetransducers. In some embodiments, the activation instructions includeinstructions configured, in response to receiving at least part of theselection, cause a completion of the activating of at least onetransducer of the second pair of the transducers to occur at a differenttime than a completion of the activating of at least one transducer ofthe third pair of the transducers. In some example embodiments, theactivation instructions include instructions configured to, in responseto receiving at least part of the selection, cause the activating of thetransducers of the second pair to occur for a different duration thanthe activating of the transducers of the third pair.

In some embodiments, block 806 in FIG. 10 includes receptioninstructions configured to cause reception of a selection from theinput-output device system 120 of at least some of a plurality oftransducers of a transducer-based device (e.g., 200, 300, or 400), theplurality of transducers arranged in a distribution, the distributionpositionable in a bodily cavity. In some embodiments, block 809 in FIG.10 includes generation instructions configured to, in response toreceiving at least part of the selection according to the receptioninstructions of block 806, cause generation of a plurality of transducersets from the at least some of the plurality of transducers. Theplurality of transducer sets may include at least a first transducer setand one or more other transducer sets. In some embodiments, the firsttransducer set includes at least a first transducer of the at least someof the plurality of transducers and a second transducer of the at leastsome of the plurality of transducers. In some embodiments, each of theone or more other transducer sets includes the first transducer, thesecond transducer, or both the first transducer and the secondtransducer. In some embodiments, the first transducer is included in theone or more other transducer sets, and the second transducer is includedin the one or more other transducer sets. In some embodiments, each ofat least one of the plurality of transducer sets includes a differenttransducer than each of at least one other set of the plurality oftransducer sets.

For example, with respect to FIGS. 5G-5I, a first particular one of theone or more other transducer sets may include a transducer set “A”including transducers associated with transducer graphical elements R:6and Q:6, a second particular one of the one or more other transducersets may include a transducer set “B” including transducers associatedwith transducer graphical elements R:7 and S:7, and the first transducerset may include a transducer set “C” including a first transducer and asecond transducer respectively associated with transducer graphicalelements R:6 and R:7. In this regard, transducer set “A” includes thefirst transducer associated with transducer graphical element R:6, andtransducer set “B” includes the second transducer associated withtransducer graphical element R:7. In addition, at least transducer set“A” includes a transducer associated with graphical element Q:6 that isdifferent than those included in each of transducer sets “B” and “C”.

In some embodiments, initiation of activation of transducer set “A”(e.g., initiation of activation of the transducers associated withtransducer graphical elements R:6 and Q:6 concurrently) occurs at a timeT1, according to the activation instructions associated with block 811,just prior to the state shown in FIG. 5G, which shows a during-energydelivery state of transducer set “A”. Initiation of activation oftransducer set “B” (e.g., initiation of activation of the transducersassociated with transducer graphical elements R:7 and S:7 concurrently)may occur at a time T2, according to the activation instructionsassociated with block 811, sometime after time T1, as shown in FIG. 5H.However, in some embodiments, initiation of activation of transducer set“B” occurs concurrently with that of transducer set “A”, such that timeT2 equals time T1. In some embodiments, initiation of activation oftransducer set “C” (e.g., initiation of activation of the transducersassociated with transducer graphical elements R:6 and R:7 concurrently)occurs at a time T3, according to the activation instructions associatedwith block 811, sometime after times T1 and T2, as indicated by acomparison of at least FIGS. 5H and 5I. For example, in FIG. 5H,transducer set “A” is in a post-energy-delivery state, transducer set“B” is in a during-energy-delivery state, and transducer set “C” is in apre-energy-delivery state. In FIG. 5I, for example, all of transducersets “A”, “B”, and “C” are in a post-energy delivery state, therebyindicating that transducer set “C” initiated activation after transducersets “A” and “B”. In this regard, activation of each respectivetransducer in transducer set “C” is delayed with respect to a start ofthe activation of each respective transducer of each of transducer sets“A” and “B”, as shown by the comparison of FIG. 5I with FIGS. 5G and 5H.In this regard, it is noted that the transducers associated withtransducer graphical elements R:6 and R:7 experience two activationinitiations over the time period spanning the activations of transducersets “A”, “B”, and “C”. The transducer associated with transducergraphical element R:6 experiences activation initiations with transducersets “A” and “C”, and the transducer associated with transducergraphical element R:7 experiences activation initiations with transducersets “B” and “C”.

With respect to FIG. 5G, multiple sets of transducers may be activatedconcurrently. For example, in FIG. 5G, transducers associated withtransducer graphical elements R:6 and Q:6 are concurrently activatedwith transducers associated with transducer graphical elements Q:10 andP:10. In this regard, when transducers associated with transducergraphical elements R:6 and Q:6 of one transducer set are activated, eachrespective transducer in at least another particular one of thetransducer sets (e.g., transducers associated with transducer graphicalelements Q:10 and P:10 shown in FIG. 5G) may be concurrently activatedwith the transducers associated with transducer graphical elements R:6and Q:6. However, a transducer set need not be limited to a sequence ofadjacent transducers. In this regard, in the immediately previousexample, the “one” transducer set may be deemed to include transducersassociated with transducer graphical elements R:6, Q:6, Q:10, and P:10,instead of the transducers associated with transducer graphical elementsR:6 and Q:6 being considered a separate transducer set from thetransducers associated with transducer graphical elements Q:10 and P:10.In this regard, while all transducers in a transducer set may beactivated concurrently, this need not be the case. For example, iftransducer set “A” is deemed to include transducers associated withtransducer graphical elements R:6, Q:6, S:9, and R:9 pursuant to theexample embodiments of FIGS. 5G and 5H, the transducers associated withtransducer graphical elements R:6 and Q:6 may be activated at time T1just before FIG. 5G, and the transducers associated with transducergraphical elements S:9 and R:9 may be activated later at time T2 shownin FIG. 5H.

Now assume that transducer set “A” includes transducers associated withtransducer graphical elements S:7 and R:7; transducer set “B” includestransducers associated with transducer graphical elements S:9 and R:9;and transducer set “C” includes transducers associated with transducergraphical elements S:7, S:8, and S:9, which may occur according to someembodiments. In some of these embodiments, initiation of activation oftransducer set “A” occurs concurrently with initiation of activation oftransducer set “B” at a time T1, according to the activationinstructions associated with block 811 and indicated in FIG. 5H.Initiation of activation of transducer set “C” occurs after time T1,according to the activation instructions associated with block 811 andshown in FIG. 5I.

In some embodiments, columns 512 are considered rows, and rows 510 areconsidered columns at least in FIGS. 5G-5I. In this case, eachparticular column may be identified by the numerical portion of thealpha-numeric identifier of the transducer graphical element 502arranged along the particular column, and each particular row may beidentified by the alphabetic portion of the alpha-numeric identifier ofthe transducer graphical element 502 arranged along the particular row.In this case (continuing the preceding example), assume that thetransducers associated with transducer graphical elements S:7 and S:9 intransducer set “C” are a first transducer and a second transducer,respectively. In this case, the first transducer (associated withtransducer graphical element S:7) may be considered to be in a firstparticular one of the columns (i.e., column “7”), and the secondtransducer (associated with transducer graphical element S:9) may beconsidered to be in a second particular one of the columns (i.e., column“9”), where a column (i.e., column “8”) is between them. Also in thiscase, the first transducer (associated with transducer graphical elementS:7) and the second transducer (associated with transducer graphicalelement S:9) are located in a same particular one of the rows (i.e., row“S”). In addition, in this case, the transducer associated withtransducer graphical element R:7 in transducer set “A”, and thetransducer associated with transducer graphical element R:9 intransducer set “B” are located on a row (i.e., row “R”) other than thesame particular one of the rows (i.e., row “S”). Further, in this case,the transducer associated with transducer graphical element R:7 intransducer set “A” is in the first particular one of the columns (i.e.,column “7”, which is the same column in which the first transducerassociated with transducer graphical element S:7 is located).

Accordingly, in view of the descriptions here, it can be seen that theinvention is not limited to any particular arrangement or composition oftransducer sets or transducer set activation sequences. FIG. 5J furtherillustrates this point and shows a symbolic representation of sometransducer graphical elements (shown as squares) and between graphicalelements (shown connecting the larger squares), which may be displayedaccording to any of the graphical representations of FIGS. 5A-5I, 5K,and 6, according to various example embodiments. In other words,although FIG. 5J shows a two-dimensional representation of transducergraphical elements and between graphical elements that may be presentedin accordance with the two-dimensional representation of FIG. 5D, suchtransducer graphical elements and between graphical elements may insteadappear in a three-dimensional representation like that shown in any ofFIGS. 5A-5C, 5E-5I, 5K, and 6 (further including diagonal betweengraphical elements not shown in FIG. 5J, but which may be included). Thetransducer graphical elements in FIG. 5J will be referenced by row andcolumn, e.g., E:3, according to the same convention used with respect toFIGS. 5A-5I, 5K, and 6. As with earlier discussions regarding columns512 and rows 510, which may correspond to those in FIG. 5J, adjacentones of the rows in FIG. 5J may represent rows along a transducer-basedsystem separated from each other at least by a physical portion (e.g.,not including any transducer) of the transducer-based system, andadjacent ones of the columns in FIG. 5J may represent columns along thetransducer-based system separated from each other at least by anon-physical portion of the transducer-based system.

With reference to FIG. 5J, assume that the above-mentioned transducerset “A”, the above-mentioned transducer set “B”, and the above-mentionedtransducer set “C” include transducers associated with the transducergraphical elements shown in Table I, below, forming a row across rowthree:

TABLE I Transducer Transducer Set Graphical Elements A (e.g., “firstparticular other set”) A: 3, B: 3, C: 3, D: 3 B (e.g., “secondparticular other set” activated G: 3, H: 3, I: 3, J: 3, A: 3 at same orlater time than transducer set “A”) C (e.g., “first transducer set”activation D: 3, E: 3, F: 3, G: 3 delayed with respect to transducersets “A” and “B”)Also, in these embodiments, assume that the transducer associated withtransducer graphical element J:3 is adjacent the transducer associatedwith transducer graphical element A:3 (e.g., that column “J” is rightnext to column “A”, because the transducers associated with thetransducer graphical elements depicted in FIG. 5J are arrangedcircumferentially, such as shown by the transducer graphical elements inany of FIGS. 5A-5C, 5E-5I, 5K, and 6). In this regard, transducer set“A” and transducer set “B” both include the same transducer, i.e., thetransducer associated with transducer graphical element A:3, which isnot included in transducer set “C”. However, it should be noted thattransducer sets “A” and “B” may include at least a same transducer inother circumstances where the transducers are not arrangedcircumferentially such that last and first columns are adjacent.Accordingly, the following discussions may include but do not requirethat columns “J” and “A” be adjacent.

In embodiments including the configuration of Table I applied to FIG.5J, it may be considered that the transducer associated with transducergraphical element D:3 is a first transducer of transducer set “C”, andthat the transducer associated with transducer graphical element G:3 isa second transducer of transducer set “C”. In such a case, it can beseen that the first transducer and the second transducer are located ona same particular row (i.e., row “3”). In addition, it can be seen thattransducer sets “A” and “B” include at least one transducer (e.g.,associated with one or more of transducer graphical elements A:3, B:3,C:3, H:3, I:3, J:3) other than the first transducer (e.g., associatedwith transducer graphical element D:3) and the second transducer (e.g.,associated with transducer graphical element G:3) located in the samerow (i.e., row “3”) as the first transducer and the second transducer.It can be considered that the first transducer is in a first particularcolumn (i.e., column “D”), the second transducer is in a secondparticular column (i.e., column “G”), and there is at least one othercolumn (e.g., column “E” and column “F”) between the first particularcolumn and the second particular column. Also, it can be seen thattransducer sets “A” and “B” include at least one transducer (e.g.,associated with one or more of transducer graphical elements A:3, B:3,C:3, H:3, I:3, J:3) other than the first transducer (e.g., associatedwith transducer graphical element D:3) and the second transducer (e.g.,associated with transducer graphical element G:3) located on a columnother than the first particular column (i.e., column “D”) and the secondparticular column (i.e., column “G”).

With reference to FIG. 5J, now assume that the above-mentionedtransducer set “A”, the above-mentioned transducer set “B”, and theabove-mentioned transducer set “C” include transducers associated withthe transducer graphical elements shown in Table II, below:

TABLE II Transducer Transducer Set Graphical Elements A (e.g., “firstparticular other set”) B: 3, C: 3, D: 3 B (e.g., “second particularother set” activated F: 4, G: 4 at same or later time than transducerset “A”) C (e.g., “first transducer set” activation D: 3, E: 3, E: 4: F4delayed with respect to transducer sets “A” and “B”)

In embodiments including the configuration of Table II applied to FIG.5J, it may be considered that the transducer associated with transducergraphical element D:3 is a first transducer of transducer set “C”, andthat the transducer associated with transducer graphical element F:4 isa second transducer of transducer set “C”. In this regard, the firsttransducer is located on a first particular one of the columns (i.e.,column “D”) and the second transducer is located on a second particularone of the columns (i.e., column “F”), at least one other of the columns(i.e., column “E”) arranged between the first particular one of thecolumns and the second particular one of the columns. It can be seenthat transducer sets “A” and “B” include at least one transducer (e.g.,associated with one or more of transducer graphical elements B:3, C:3,and G:4) other than the first transducer (e.g., associated withtransducer graphical element D:3) and the second transducer (e.g.,associated with transducer graphical element F:4) located on a columnother than the first particular column (i.e., column “D”) and the secondparticular column (i.e., column “F”). In addition, the first transducer(i.e., associated with transducer graphical element D:3) is located on afirst particular one of the rows (i.e., row “3”) and the secondtransducer (i.e., associated with transducer graphical element F:4) islocated on a second particular one of the rows (i.e., row “4”) otherthan the first particular one of the rows (i.e., row “3”).

With reference to FIG. 5J, now assume that the above-mentionedtransducer set “A”, the above-mentioned transducer set “B”, and theabove-mentioned transducer set “C” include transducers associated withthe transducer graphical elements shown in Table III, below:

TABLE III Transducer Transducer Set Graphical Elements A (e.g., “firstparticular other set”) D: 3, D: 4 B (e.g., “second particular other set”activated F: 3, G: 3 at same or later time than transducer set “A”) C(e.g., “first transducer set” activation D: 3, E: 3, F: 3 delayed withrespect to transducer sets “A” and “B”)

In embodiments including the configuration of Table III applied to FIG.5J, it may be considered that the transducer associated with transducergraphical element D:3 is a first transducer of transducer set “C”, andthat the transducer associated with transducer graphical element F:3 isa second transducer of transducer set “C”. In this regard, the firsttransducer is located on a first particular one of the columns (i.e.,column “D”) and the second transducer is located on a second particularone of the columns (i.e., column “F”), at least one other of the columns(i.e., column “E”) arranged between the first particular one of thecolumns and the second particular one of the columns. In addition, thefirst transducer and the second transducer are located on a sameparticular one of the rows (i.e., row “3”). Further, transducer set “A”includes a transducer other than the first transducer (and the secondtransducer) associated with transducer graphical element D:4 located onthe first particular one of the columns (i.e., column “D”), andtransducer set “B” includes a transducer other than the first transducerand the second transducer associated with transducer graphical elementG:3 located on the same particular one of the rows (i.e., row “3”).Further still, the transducer associated with transducer graphicalelement D:4 of transducer set “A” is located on one of the rows (i.e.,row “4”) other than the same particular one of the rows (i.e., row “3”).

With reference to FIG. 5J, now assume that the above-mentionedtransducer set “A”, the above-mentioned transducer set “B”, and theabove-mentioned transducer set “C” include transducers associated withthe transducer graphical elements shown in Table IV, below:

TABLE IV Transducer Transducer Set Graphical Elements A (e.g., “firstparticular other set”) E: 3 B (e.g., “second particular other set”activated B: 3, C: 3 at same or later time than transducer set “A”) C(e.g., “first transducer set” activation C: 3, D: 3, E: 3 delayed withrespect to transducer sets “A” and “B”)

In embodiments including the configuration of Table IV applied to FIG.5J, it may be considered that the transducer associated with transducergraphical element C:3 is a first transducer of transducer set “C”, andthat the transducer associated with transducer graphical element E:3 isa second transducer of transducer set “C”. In this regard, it can beseen that transducer set “A” includes only a single transducer, thesingle transducer associated with transducer graphical element E:3.

Accordingly, in view of the descriptions here, it can be seen that theinvention is not limited to any particular arrangement or composition oftransducer sets or transducer set activation sequences. The particularconfigurations in FIG. 5J are provided merely to illustrate this point,and the invention is not limited to the particular configurations inFIG. 5J or any other particular configuration described herein.

We now turn to embodiments that vary visual characteristics of graphicalelements during transducer activation processes. For example, theactivation instructions as per block 811 in method 800 in FIG. 10, caninclude activation instructions configured to, in response to receivingat least part of a selection of various between graphical elements 504associated with each of a plurality of transducer sets selectedaccording to a first sequence, cause, via the input-output devicesystem, energy from an energy source device system (e.g., energy sourcedevice system 340) to be delivered to each of the transducer setsaccording to a second sequence different than the first sequence. Insome embodiments, during this energy delivery process, visualcharacteristics of the selected between graphical elements 504 can bevaried to illustrate to a user a status of the energy delivery process.It should be noted, however, that the variances of visualcharacteristics described herein need not apply only to the method 800or to the selection of between graphical elements 504, but can alsoapply to any activation process and to any graphical element accordingto the various embodiments described herein. The method of 800 andbetween graphical elements 504 are only used for illustration purposes.

In this regard, FIGS. 5G and 5H, show example sequential variances invisual characteristics of respective ones of the between graphicalelements 504 associated with at least some of the transducers sets asthey are activated according to the second sequence. Changes in thevisual characteristics are highlighted in accordance with a KEY providedin each of FIGS. 5G, 5H and SI. It is understood that the KEY isprovided for illustrative purposes and does not form part of thegraphical representation in this example embodiment. As discussed above,variances in visual characteristics may include changing a color,opacity, hue, intensity, shading, pattern, shape or the addition orremoval of any displayed information.

FIG. 5G is associated with a condition in which energy is beingdelivered (e.g., according to the second sequence) to the respectivetransducer set associated with the first between graphical element 504 a(e.g., previously identified as “R:6-Q:6” and to the respectivetransducer set associated with another between graphical element 504(e.g., previously identified as “P:10-Q:10”) while energy is notdelivered to the respective transducer sets associated with theremaining ones of the selected between graphical elements 504. It isnoted that the energy delivered to the transducer set associated withthe between graphical element 504 previously identified as “P:10-Q:10”is not delivered according to the sequence it was selected with respectto the other of the transducer sets. It is noted that the respectiveelectrograms 535 associated with the respective transducers of at leastsome of the transducer sets to which energy is delivered (e.g., thetransducer set associated with the between graphical element 504previously identified as “P:10-Q:10”) are repositioned in the graphicalrepresentation for enhanced viewing during the energy delivery (e.g., asbest compared between FIGS. 5F and 5G).

FIG. 5H is associated with a condition in which the energy delivery hasbeen completed to respective transducer sets associated with each of thebetween graphical elements 504 previously identified as “R:6-Q:6” and“P:10-Q:10”. FIG. 5H is associated with a condition in which energy isbeing delivered to the respective transducer sets associated with thebetween graphical elements 504 previously identified as “R:9-S:9” and“S:7-R:7” while energy is not delivered to the other respectivetransducer sets that have not yet received energy or the otherrespective transducer sets in which the energy delivery has beencompleted. Again, it is noted that the energy delivered to thetransducer sets associated with the between graphical elements 504previously identified as “R:9-S:9” and “S:7-R:7” is not deliveredaccording to the first sequence in which these transducer sets wereselected with respect to the others of the group of transducer sets. Inthis example embodiment, the energy delivery process according to theremainder of the second sequence continues, until energy has beendelivered to all of the remaining selected transducer sets asexemplified in FIG. 5I. It is noted that for brevity of illustration,energy delivery to every one of the selected remaining transducer setsin accordance with the remainder of the second sequence has not beenshown.

In this example embodiment, the activation instructions of blocks 810,811 cause the transmission of energy-delivery instructions (not shown)to cause energy from the energy source device system to be delivered toeach of the respective first transducer and second transducer of thecorresponding transducer set associated with each of the selectedbetween graphical elements 504. FIG. 8 includes a block 818 thatincludes determination instructions (e.g., instructions provided by aprogram) configured to determine an energy-delivery status associatedwith at least one of the respective first transducer and the respectivesecond transducer associated with each of the selected between graphicalelements 504, the energy delivery status indicating a status of theenergy delivery by the energy source device system to the at least oneof the respective first transducer and the respective second transducer.In some embodiments, the energy delivery status includes a status of aportion of the energy delivered by the energy source device system tothe at least one of the respective first transducer and the respectivesecond transducer, the portion of the energy transmitted by the at leastone of the respective first transducer and the respective secondtransducer. FIG. 8 includes a block 820 that includes energy deliveryindication instructions configured to cause the input-output devicesystem to change a displayed visual characteristic of a selected betweengraphical element 504 based at least on the determined energy-status ofthe at least one of the respective first transducer and the respectivesecond transducer. For example, referring to FIG. 5G, the energydelivery status associated with the at least one of the respective firstand the respective second transducers associated with the selectedbetween graphical element 504 a previously identified as “R:6-Q:6”includes a during-energy delivery status associated with a state duringthe energy delivery by the energy source device system to the at leastone of the first transducer and the second transducer associated withthe selected between graphical element 504 a previously identified as“R:6-Q:6”. The energy delivery status associated with the at least oneof the respective first and second transducers associated with theselected between graphical element 504 previously identified as“S:7-R:7” includes a pre-energy-delivery status associated with a statebefore a start of energy delivery by the energy source device system tothe at least one of the first transducer and the second transducerassociated with the selected between graphical element 504 previouslyidentified as “S:7-R:7”. As shown in FIG. 5G, a first displayed visualcharacteristic of the between graphical elements 504 is associated withthe pre-energy-delivery status (e.g., the selected between graphicalelement 504 previously identified as “S:7-R:7”) and a second displayedvisual characteristic of the between graphical elements 504 isassociated with the during-energy-delivery status (e.g., the selectedbetween graphical element 504 previously identified as “R:6-Q:6”), thesecond displayed visual characteristic being different than the firstdisplayed visual characteristic. Differences in the displayed visualcharacteristics may include different colors, opacities, hues,intensity, shading, patterns, shapes or any suitable addition or removalof any displayed information sufficient for characterizing thedifference. In some embodiments, the first displayed visualcharacteristic of a between graphical element 504 associated with thepre-energy delivery status is different than a visual characteristic ofthe between graphical element 504 resulting upon a selection of thebetween graphical element 504 (e.g., as per block 812). In thisembodiment, the first displayed visual characteristic of a betweengraphical element 504 associated with the pre-energy delivery status isthe same as a visual characteristic of the between graphical element 504resulting upon a selection of the between graphical element 504. It isnoted that in this example embodiment that the between graphical element504 a previously identified as “R:6-Q:6” included the first displayedvisual characteristic prior to energy delivery to the corresponding onesof the transducers.

In FIG. 5H, the energy delivery status associated with the at least oneof the first transducer and the second transducer associated with thebetween graphical element 504 a previously identified as “R:6-Q:6”includes a post-energy-delivery status associated with a state after acompletion of the energy delivery from the energy source device systemto the at least one of the first transducer and the second transducerassociated with the between graphical element 504 a previouslyidentified as “R:6-Q:6”. In FIG. 5H, a pre-energy-delivery status isassociated with at least some of the between graphical elements (e.g.,the between graphical element 504 previously identified as “P:7-O:7”)and a during-energy-delivery status is associated with at least some ofthe between graphical elements (e.g., the between graphical element 504previously identified as “S:7-R:7”). In this example embodiment, a thirddisplayed visual characteristic of the between graphical elements 504associated with the post-energy delivery-state (e.g., the betweengraphical element 504 a previously identified as “R:6-Q:6”) is differentthan at least one (e.g., both in this example embodiment) of the firstdisplayed visual characteristic of the between graphical elements 504associated with the pre-energy delivery-state (e.g., the betweengraphical element 504 previously identified as “P:7-O:7”) and the seconddisplayed visual characteristic of the between graphical elements 504associated with the during-energy delivery-state (e.g., the betweengraphical element 504 previously identified as “S:7-R:7”). In FIG. 5Iall of the selected between graphical elements 504 are shown with thethird displayed visual characteristic, indicating that completion of theenergy delivery to their respective transducer sets has occurred. Inthis example embodiment, the displayed visual characteristics of atleast some of the respective transducer graphical elements 502associated with the respective first and the second transducersassociated with each selected between graphical elements undergo changesin accordance with changes in the energy-delivery state. The displayedvisual characteristics associated with the various energy-deliverystates are depicted in accordance with the KEY provided in each of FIGS.5G, 5H and SI. And, in some embodiments, energy-delivery state mayinclude a type of energy delivery, such as the delivery of energy formonopolar ablation or the delivery of energy for bipolar ablation. Inthis regard, the visual characteristics associated with the delivery ofenergy for monopolar ablation may be different than the visualcharacteristics associated with the delivery of energy for bipolarablation.

While some of the embodiments disclosed above are described withexamples of cardiac mapping, the same or similar embodiments may be usedfor mapping other bodily organs, for example gastric mapping, bladdermapping, arterial mapping and mapping of any lumen or cavity into whichthe devices of the present invention may be introduced.

While some of the embodiments disclosed above are described withexamples of cardiac ablation, the same or similar embodiments may beused for ablating other bodily organs or any lumen or cavity into whichthe devices of the present invention may be introduced.

Subsets or combinations of various embodiments described above canprovide further embodiments.

These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of theabove-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, theterms used should not be construed to limit the invention to thespecific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, butshould be construed to include other transducer-based device systemsincluding all medical treatment device systems and all medicaldiagnostic device systems in accordance with the claims. Accordingly,the invention is not limited by the disclosure, but instead its scope isto be determined entirely by the following claims.

1. (canceled)
 2. A transducer-activation system comprising: a dataprocessing device system; an input-output device system communicativelyconnected to the data processing device system; and a memory devicesystem communicatively connected to the data processing device systemand storing a program executable by the data processing device system,the program comprising: reception instructions configured to causereception, from the input-output device system, of user-based inputindicating at least a path segment of an ablation path; selectioninstructions configured to cause automatic selection, at least inresponse to at least part of the user-based input indicating the pathsegment, of a subset of a plurality of transducers of a transducer-baseddevice determined, according to the selection instructions, to beclosest to the path segment; display instructions configured to causethe input-output device system to display a graphical representation ofa tissue surface of a bodily cavity, the display instructions configuredto cause the input-output device system to display, at least in responseto the user-based input, a graphical representation of the ablation pathincluding a graphical representation of the path segment in anoverlapping relationship with the graphical representation of the tissuesurface of the bodily cavity; and activation instructions configured tocause activation of at least the subset of the plurality of transducersto transmit tissue ablative energy.
 3. The transducer-activation systemof claim 2, wherein the path segment is associated with a region ofspace that does not include a transducer of the transducer-based device.4. The transducer-activation system of claim 2, wherein the subset ofthe plurality of transducers of the transducer-based device comprises agroup of transducers, and wherein each particular transducer of thegroup of transducers is determined according to the selectioninstructions as being sufficiently close to another transducer of thegroup of transducers to form an electrophysiological conduction blockbetween them in a state in which the particular transducer of the groupof transducers and the another transducer of the group of transducersare activated according to the activation instructions.
 5. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 2, wherein the subset of theplurality of transducers of the transducer-based device includes aparticular transducer determined, according to the selectioninstructions, to be positioned to form an electrophysiologicalconduction block along at least part of the ablation path in a state inwhich the particular transducer in the subset of the plurality oftransducers of the transducer-based device is activated according to theactivation instructions.
 6. The transducer-activation system of claim 2,wherein the plurality of transducers of the transducer-based device arearranged according to a first spatial distribution, and wherein thedisplay instructions are configured to cause the input-output devicesystem to display a plurality of transducer graphical elements, eachtransducer graphical element of the plurality of transducer graphicalelements corresponding to a respective transducer of the plurality oftransducers of the transducer-based device, the plurality of transducergraphical elements displayed according to a second spatial distributionthat is consistent with the first spatial distribution, and wherein, forat least a particular transducer in the subset of the plurality oftransducers of the transducer-based device, the display instructions areconfigured to cause the input-output device system to display thecorresponding transducer graphical element as being along the displayedgraphical representation of the path segment.
 7. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 6, wherein the displayinstructions are configured to cause the input-output device system todisplay the plurality of transducer graphical elements in an overlappingrelationship with the graphical representation of the tissue surface ofthe bodily cavity.
 8. The transducer-activation system of claim 7,wherein the display instructions are configured to cause theinput-output device system to display a plurality of second graphicalelements interspersed among the transducer graphical elements of theplurality of transducer graphical elements, and wherein the user-basedinput indicating the at least the path segment of the ablation pathcomprises a user-based selection of a particular graphical element ofthe plurality of second graphical elements.
 9. The transducer-activationsystem of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the displayed graphicalrepresentation of the ablation path extends over a display region thatdoes not include a transducer graphical element of the plurality oftransducer graphical elements.
 10. The transducer-activation system ofclaim 2, wherein the display instructions are configured to cause theinput-output device system to display a plurality of selectablegraphical elements positioned in an overlapping relationship with thegraphical representation of the tissue surface of the bodily cavity,each graphical element of the plurality of selectable graphical elementscorresponding to a respective one of a plurality of possible pathsegments, and wherein the user-based input indicating the at least thepath segment of the ablation path comprises a user-based selection of aparticular graphical element of the plurality of selectable graphicalelements.
 11. The transducer-activation system of claim 10, wherein thedisplay instructions are configured to change a visual characteristicset of the particular graphical element of the plurality of selectablegraphical elements at least in response to the user-based selection ofthe particular graphical element of the plurality of selectablegraphical elements.
 12. The transducer-activation system of claim 10,wherein each of at least some of the plurality of selectable graphicalelements is displayed overlying a display region that does not includeany graphical representation of any transducer of the plurality oftransducers of the transducer-based device.
 13. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 10, wherein each of at least someof the plurality of selectable graphical elements is displayed overlyinga display region that does not include any graphical representation ofany transducer of the subset of the plurality of transducers of thetransducer-based device.
 14. The transducer-activation system of claim10, wherein each of at least some of the plurality of selectablegraphical elements is displayed overlying a display region that does notinclude any graphical representation of any transducer.
 15. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 2, wherein: the path segment ofthe ablation path is a first path segment of the ablation path, thesubset of the plurality of transducers of the transducer-based device isa first subset of the plurality of transducers of the transducer-baseddevice, the reception instructions are configured to cause reception,from the input-output device system, of second user-based inputindicating at least a second path segment of the ablation path, and theselection instructions are configured to cause automatic selection, atleast in response to at least part of the second user-based inputindicating the second path segment, of a second subset of the pluralityof transducers of the transducer-based device determined, according tothe selection instructions, to be closest to the second path segment.16. The transducer-activation system of claim 15, wherein the firstsubset of the plurality of transducers of the transducer-based deviceincludes a same transducer as the second subset of the plurality oftransducers of the transducer-based device.
 17. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 15, wherein the first subset ofthe plurality of transducers of the transducer-based device includes atleast one different transducer than the second subset of the pluralityof transducers of the transducer-based device.
 18. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 15, wherein at least a third pathsegment is located along the ablation path between the first pathsegment and the second path segment.
 19. The transducer-activationsystem of claim 15, wherein the activation instructions are configuredto cause concurrent activation of the transducers of at least the firstsubset of the plurality of transducers of the transducer-based deviceand the second subset of the plurality of transducers of thetransducer-based device.
 20. The transducer-activation system of claim15, wherein the activation instructions are configured to causeactivation of each transducer in the second subset of the plurality oftransducers of the transducer-based device to be initiated after theactivation of each transducer in the first subset of the plurality oftransducers of the transducer-based device is initiated.
 21. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 2, wherein the ablation path is aclosed path.
 22. The transducer-activation system of claim 2, whereinthe display instructions are configured to cause the input-output devicesystem to display the graphical representation of the ablation pathincluding the graphical representation of the path segment as encirclinga depiction representing an anatomical port, the depiction representingthe anatomical port depicted in the graphical representation of thetissue surface of the bodily cavity.
 23. A transducer-activation systemcomprising: a data processing device system; an input-output devicesystem communicatively connected to the data processing device system;and a memory device system communicatively connected to the dataprocessing device system and storing a program executable by the dataprocessing device system, the program comprising: reception instructionsconfigured to cause reception, from the input-output device system, ofuser-based input indicating at least a path segment of an ablation path,the path segment associated with a region of space not including anyphysical portion of a transducer-based device, the transducer-baseddevice including a plurality of transducers; selection instructionsconfigured to cause automatic selection, at least in response to atleast part of the user-based input indicating the path segment, of asubset of the plurality of transducers determined, according to theselection instructions, to be closest to the path segment; displayinstructions configured to cause the input-output device system todisplay, at least in response to the user-based input, a graphicalrepresentation of the ablation path including a graphical representationof the path segment; and activation instructions configured to causeactivation of at least the subset of the plurality of transducers totransmit tissue ablative energy.
 24. The transducer-activation system ofclaim 23, wherein the subset of the plurality of transducers of thetransducer-based device comprises a group of transducers, and whereineach particular transducer of the group of transducers is determinedaccording to the selection instructions as being sufficiently close toanother transducer of the group of transducers to form anelectrophysiological conduction block between them in a state in whichthe particular transducer of the group of transducers and the anothertransducer of the group of transducers are activated according to theactivation instructions.
 25. The transducer-activation system of claim23, wherein the subset of the plurality of transducers of thetransducer-based device includes a particular transducer determined,according to the selection instructions, to be positioned to form anelectrophysiological conduction block along at least part of theablation path in a state in which the particular transducer in thesubset of the plurality of transducers of the transducer-based device isactivated according to the activation instructions.
 26. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 23, wherein the plurality oftransducers of the transducer-based device are arranged according to afirst spatial distribution, and wherein the display instructions areconfigured to cause the input-output device system to display aplurality of transducer graphical elements, each transducer graphicalelement of the plurality of transducer graphical elements correspondingto a respective transducer of the plurality of transducers of thetransducer-based device, the plurality of transducer graphical elementsdisplayed according to a second spatial distribution that is consistentwith the first spatial distribution, and wherein, for at least aparticular transducer in the subset of the plurality of transducers ofthe transducer-based device, the display instructions are configured tocause the input-output device system to display the correspondingtransducer graphical element as being along the displayed graphicalrepresentation of the path segment.
 27. The transducer-activation systemof claim 26, wherein the display instructions are configured to causethe input-output device system to display a plurality of secondgraphical elements interspersed among the transducer graphical elementsof the plurality of transducer graphical elements, and wherein theuser-based input indicating the at least the path segment of theablation path comprises a user-based selection of a particular graphicalelement of the plurality of second graphical elements.
 28. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 23, wherein the displayinstructions are configured to cause the input-output device system todisplay, at least in response to the user-based input, the graphicalrepresentation of the ablation path including the graphicalrepresentation of the path segment in an overlapping relationship with agraphical representation of a tissue surface of a bodily cavity.
 29. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 28, wherein the displayinstructions are configured to cause the input-output device system todisplay the graphical representation of the ablation path including thegraphical representation of the path segment as encircling a depictionrepresenting an anatomical port, the depiction representing theanatomical port depicted in the graphical representation of the tissuesurface of the bodily cavity.
 30. The transducer-activation system ofclaim 28, wherein the display instructions are configured to cause theinput-output device system to display a plurality of selectablegraphical elements positioned in an overlapping relationship with thegraphical representation of the tissue surface of the bodily cavity,each graphical element of the plurality of selectable graphical elementscorresponding to a respective one of a plurality of possible pathsegments, and wherein the user-based input indicating the at least thepath segment of the ablation path comprises a user-based selection of aparticular graphical element of the plurality of selectable graphicalelements.
 31. The transducer-activation system of claim 30, wherein thedisplay instructions are configured to change a visual characteristicset of the particular graphical element of the plurality of selectablegraphical elements at least in response to the user-based selection ofthe particular graphical element of the plurality of selectablegraphical elements.
 32. The transducer-activation system of claim 30,wherein each of at least some of the plurality of selectable graphicalelements is displayed overlying a display region that does not includeany graphical representation of any transducer of the plurality oftransducers of the transducer-based device.
 33. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 30, wherein each of at least someof the plurality of selectable graphical elements is displayed overlyinga display region that does not include any graphical representation ofany transducer of the subset of the plurality of transducers of thetransducer-based device.
 34. The transducer-activation system of claim30, wherein each of at least some of the plurality of selectablegraphical elements is displayed overlying a display region that does notinclude any graphical representation of any transducer.
 35. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 23, wherein: the path segment ofthe ablation path is a first path segment of the ablation path, thesubset of the plurality of transducers of the transducer-based device isa first subset of the plurality of transducers of the transducer-baseddevice, the reception instructions are configured to cause reception,from the input-output device system, of second user-based inputindicating at least a second path segment of the ablation path, and theselection instructions are configured to cause automatic selection, atleast in response to at least part of the second user-based inputindicating the second path segment, of a second subset of the pluralityof transducers of the transducer-based device determined, according tothe selection instructions, to be closest to the second path segment.36. The transducer-activation system of claim 35, wherein the firstsubset of the plurality of transducers of the transducer-based deviceincludes a same transducer as the second subset of the plurality oftransducers of the transducer-based device.
 37. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 35, wherein the first subset ofthe plurality of transducers of the transducer-based device includes atleast one different transducer than the second subset of the pluralityof transducers of the transducer-based device.
 38. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 35, wherein at least a third pathsegment is located along the ablation path between the first pathsegment and the second path segment.
 39. The transducer-activationsystem of claim 35, wherein the activation instructions are configuredto cause concurrent activation of the transducers of at least the firstsubset of the plurality of transducers of the transducer-based deviceand the second subset of the plurality of transducers of thetransducer-based device.
 40. The transducer-activation system of claim35, wherein the activation instructions are configured to causeactivation of each transducer in the second subset of the plurality oftransducers of the transducer-based device to be initiated after theactivation of each transducer in the first subset of the plurality oftransducers of the transducer-based device is initiated.
 41. Thetransducer-activation system of claim 35, wherein the second pathsegment is associated with a region of space that includes a physicalportion of the transducer-based device.
 42. The transducer-activationsystem of claim 23, wherein the ablation path is a closed path.